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DISSERTATIONS

ON TH£

EXISTENCE, ATTRIBUTES, PROVIDENCE,

AND

MORAL GOVERNMENT of GOD ;

A^ ON xnx

DUTY, GHARACTER, SECURITY, Sf FINAL HAPPINESS,

HIS RIGHTEOUS SUBJECTS,

Bvth^RsF. DAVID SAVIVHSaYm. :( \

EDINBURGH. \ •.:*•.'*! r. t.* V

» •

EDINBURGH :

1»a»XTED FOR ttUNDELL, DOIG, ^ STEVETTSOlf. — AXD
T. OSTELI., AMD J, IIATCHARD, LONDON; AND B. OUGDALE, AXD

M. KEENE, DUBLIN.

1807..

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The right honourable

tHk

ilARL OF LEVEN and MELVILLE,

Sfti Sfc. SfCi

MY LORD,

W^EtiE 1 itiean enough to
imitate the too common art of Ab-^
thors, by flattering yoifr'l^brdship,
you would despise me, aniil'.shoxila
despise myself. I may, hotvever, be
permitted, without being accused
of offering any adulation, simply to
state my reasons for dedicating to
you this Volunie. They are, — ^the
Inspect which I feel for yourself and

Vt DEDICATION*

your illustrious family, and the re-
membrance which I have of the
many friendly attentions your Lord-
ship has shewn me.

Your Lordship's rank in Ufe is
high, and it receives additional ex-
altation from the attachment which
you, hke your Fathers, have uni-
formly shewn to the interests of re-

our na-

...ligipn. — It is religion only which
' (jSui cOtifeif .true dienity on o
. !tiire>^ The memorial of virtue is
• * • iihinoi^aL It is known with God,

* and with men.'

May your Lordship always che-
rish the spirit, and emulate the
conduct of your venerable ancest-

DEDICATION.

ors ! May you, and your noble Con-
sort, and your promising Ofispring,
increase in virtue, honour, and pro-
sperity, while on earth,— and be
received at last into the kingdom of
Heaven I Then will your happiness
be such as is fervently wished ; but
infinitely greater than can be ex-
pressed, by,

MY LORD,

Your Lordship's obliged, obedient,

and humble servant.

DAVIP SAVILE.

BUKE8TBEET9

January iOf 1807«

PREFACE.

This Work, though important, from the
subjects which it embraces, I deUver to
the world with much diffidence, conscious
as I am of its 4efective execution. It is
not, however, a hasty production. It is
the result of some of my maturest thoughts,
and has received repeatedly a careful re-
visaJ. Yet after all, I fear that it will be
found to have many faults, and to require
much indulgence from the reader. But
whatever ipay be its fate, I shall always
have the pleasing reflection that it has
]3een published with good intentions: —
pubUshed with a view to estabhsh the
faith of my fellow-creatures, and to pro-
mote both their present and future happir
ness.

▼ui PREFACE.

In times, like the present, of prevailing
infidelity, temptation, and vice, it becomes
every friend of religion to sound the alarm
to his brethren, and shew them the safety
and excellence of the ground on which
they are exhorted to stand. Irreligion and
immorality are as injurious to the peace
and order of society as to the best in-
terests of the individual. He, therefore,
who honestly endeavours to counteract
their baleful influence, may well be con-
sidered as a friend of his species. It is
from a deep conviction of this, that I have
now presumed to cotoe forward, and throw
my mite into the treasury of talents.

I HAVE been solicitous iii the discussion
of my subjects, to avoid all party-pecu-
liarities, because it is my earnest desire that
what I liave written should be impartially
and seriously perused by persons of every
denomination. I am not conscious of hav-
ing expressed myself in an improper man-
ner, concerning even those who are avowed
infidels. — Our object should be to enlighten

PR&FACE. be

and persuade, and not needlessly to of-
fend and prejudice.

The subjects here discussed, are a-
mong the most important and interesting
that can engage the attention of the hu-
man mind. What can be more important
and interesting than an inquiry into the
Existence, Attributes, Providence, \
AND Moral Government of God;

AND INTO THE DuTY, CHARACTER, Se«
CURITY, AND FlNAL HaPPINESS OF HIS

Righteous Subjects? 1 hope that

this Volume will, in many parts of it,
throw some light upon the particulars now
mentioned. At any rate, it appears to me
to have the advantage of giving a more
popular, uniform, and connected view of
them, than is to be foiind in any publica-^
tion which I have yet seen.

Though ponderous voliimes have been
composed on the Existence and Attributes
of God, I have endeavoured to comprise
every thing that appeared necessary pi|

3t PREFACE.

these heads in three short Dissertations.—
From the Existence, and Omnipresence,
and Goodness of God, I have deduced all
his other Attributes. My view of some of
these is, perhaps, not common ; but I have
chosen it from a thorough conviction that
it is the right one, and not from the mere

vanity of being singular. In treating the
diflferent subjects that have occupied my
attention, I have adopted that manner
which seemed to me to be the most lucid,
\ c perg etic, and useftil.

I AM fiilly aware that in this small work,
there will frequently be found a repetition
of the same sentiment. But this, in the
present case, could scarcely be avoided,
and I confess that I have not been very
anxious to avoid it ; for, if a sentiment be
useftil and important, its being repeated,
may tend to strengthen and confirm the
impression of it.

The attentive reader will also readily
observe, that my object has not been so

PREFACE* 1^

much to embellish my style, as to explain
clearly and forcibly my meaning, and thus
to impress deeply on the mind, the mo-
mentous truths which I have endeavoured
to discuss. The Author is unworthy of the
pubUc notice, who is not much more eager
to digest and produce properly his mat-
ter, than roerely to pohsh and beautify
his language. Without correct and im-
portant ideas, of what avail are a multi-
tude of fine words? — But even with re-
gard to language, I have endeavoured,
though perhaps without much success, to
appear not altogether negligent. The ve-
hicle, as well as the articles conveyed, is
certainly entitled to some consideration,
and in the present case, will have no small
influence in commending or disparaging
their value.

In short, I have taken the utmost pains
to avoid all mistakes ; but I cannot flatter
myself so far, as to imagine that I have
uniformly succeeded. The candid reader
will, I trust, pardon such imperfectioas as

iH FtlEFACE*

greater leisure, more experience, and deep-
er reflection might have enabled me to dis-
cover and correct., ■ . L et the wise and
the good be my judges ; and if I receive
their approbation, I shall deem it an ho-^
nourable reward of my labours ; — ^but there
is a higher reward to which I aspire, and
that reward is independent of man.

CONTENTS.

DISSERTATION I.

The existence of GOD.

FsALM xiv^ 1. The fool hath said m bis heart
there is no God. • • . • 1

Appendix • • • • 25

DISSERTATION II.

The omnipresence of GOD.

jEtiEMiAH xxiii, 23, 24. jim I a God at handy
saith the Lord, and not a God afar ojff Can
any hide himself in secret places that I shall not
see him ? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven
and earth ? saith the Lord, 31

DISSERTATION III.

The goodness of GOD.

FsAlm cxiv, 9. The Lord is good to ally and his
tender mercies are over all his works 57

xir CONTENTS.

DISSERTATION IV.

. The providence of GOD-

I Psalm xcvii^ 1. The Lord reigneth^ let the earth
rejoice i 103

DISSERTATION V.

The moral GOVERNMENT of GOD.

PsAi.M Iviii, !!• — Ferily there is a reward for
the righteous : verily he is a God thatjudgeth in
the earth 134

DISSERTATION VI.

MORAL OBLIGATION.

■

Psalm Ixxviii, 1. Give ear^ my people, to my

law « . . i 155

Appendix. 177

DISSERTATION VII.

The CHARACTER of the UPRIGHT.

Psalm xviii, 23. / was also upright before
him. 186

DISSERTATION VIH.

The SECURITY op the UPRIGHT.

Prov. X, 9. He that walketh uprightly walketh
surely , . . . * 209

CONTENT^. XT

Dissertation ix.

The final TRIUMPH o» thi UPRIGHT.

Psalm xlix, 14. The upright shall have do-
minion over them in the morning. ..*.*..• 239

DISSERTATION X.

The EVIDENCES or a FUTURE STATE.

£ccL£& xii, ?• Then shall the dust return to the
earth as it tbas^ and the spirit shall return linto
God who gave it ^ ......,, ^ 244

DISSERTATION XL

The PROSPECT oe a FUTURE STATE OPENED

BY THE GOSPEL.

2 Timothy i, 10. Our Saviour Jesus Christy —
hath brought life and immortality to light through
the Gospel. .4 ♦ . . . 267

DISSERTATION. Xn.

The knowledge of ETERNAL LIFE.

1 John v, IS. These things have I written unt0
you, that believe on the name of the Son of God;
that ye may know that ye have eternal lifcj and
that ye may believe on the name of the Son cf
God * • ^9*

Tii CONTENTS.

DISSERTATION XIII.

Th» glory of the righteous in HEAVEN.

Matthew xiji, 43. Then shall the righteous shine
Jorth as the ^n in the kingdom of their Fa--
iher. 311

DISSERTATION XIV.

The glory of the RIGHTEOUS in HEAVEN.

Matthew xiii^ 43. Then shall the righteous shine
forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Fa-
ther 328

T«E

EXISTENCE OF GOD^

£1LRATA«

Page 4^Ufleia.fof««d^i«»d.i.W^
73, line 3, for Me« read Ww/.
93, line 14. ior fosthe read /wiWww
131, line »4. for *''«/' '^^^ fUease. , ,

great source of consolation. Without this
belief men would, in general, sin without
fear or restraint ; and, in affliction, they
must * sorrow withcrut hope/ He, there-
fore, who becomes an atheist, consults nei-
ther his improvement nor his happiness^
He adopts a monstrous system, in direct
opposition to all his interests. Hence this
emphatical declaration, — * The fool hath

^ said in his heart there is no Godt'

4 The Existence of God.

THE EXISTENCE OF A GOD. — ^In Stating

this evidence, I shall endeavour, neither
to v^eaken it by unnecessary enlargement,
nor obscure it by w^ords of affected erudi-
tion. My great object is to make what
follows both concise and plain, both intel-
ligibly and interesting to every one who
will give it serious attention.

Something now exists: we ourselves
exist : the whole world exists : something
then must always have existed. If there
ever had been a time when there was
nothing, it is evident that nothing could
ever havt been. It is a contradiction in
terms, to suppose that nothing could ever
produce any thing. The existence, then,
of present objects, nay, the existence of
ourselves, is a proof of an eternal exist-
ence. But what is it which hath eter-
nally existed ? It must be a Being who is
the original trause of all things, and who
is himself without any cause ; for had he
any cause, he could not be eternal : the
cause which produced him must have ex-
isted before him. The idea then of an
eternal uncaused Being, forces itself upon
^e reflecting mind,: his existence is neces^

The Existence of God. 5

sary ;* — ^that is, it is absolutely impossible
for such a Being not to exist. Hence it
folio w's, contrary to the assertion of some
atheists, that the visible world cannot be
this being. Can any one assert that it is
impossible for the world not to exist. If its
non-existence be literally impossible, let it
be shewn where the impossibility lies. It is
trifling and not reasoning : it is taking the
matter for granted, and not proving it, to
say that the world musttiLisXy and must have
eternally existed, merely because it does ex-
ist ; and yet, I apprehend, this is all that
can be said by those * who venture to assert
that its non-existence is impossible.

But suppose, for argument's sake, that
it were impossible for the world not to ex-

* To the phrase necessary exsetencey I do not here affix the
same meaning that Dr. Clarke does in his Demonstration of
the Being and Attributes of God. By necessary existence^
\c means, that whose non-existence is a contradiction in itselfi
My reason for not adopting this sense of the phcase, may be
seen in the Appendix to this discourse. By the necessUy of.
God's existence, I mean only a demonstrable existence, or in
other words, that necessity which is expressed when we say,^-
< there must be a cause of every effect ;' and which is there-
fore nothing more than an unavoidable inference from t)ie exist-
^nce of effects*

6 The Existence of God.

ist, yet still we could not say that it was
literally impossible for it to exist in a differ -
ent manner. It certainly might have been,
in some respects, different from what it is :
different, for instance, in magnitude, in
figure, in the number, size, and species of
the creatures who inhabit it ; and in vari-
ous other circ\imstances. This I say is at
least possible. But though I say that the
manner of xht world's existence, might, in
the nature of things, have been in some
respects different^ yet I do not say that it
could have been better^ or even so well upon
the whole. I only say that it is surely possi^
hie for the world to have existed in a some^
what different manner^ without considering,
at present, whether such difference would
have been for the better or for the worse.
Only grant what I imagine must be granted,
that it is physically possible for it to have
been different in any one part, — in any one
animal, — in any one vegetable, — or in any
one atom which it contains, and you grant
the possibility of all that it is necessary for me
to suppose. — But if it is only physically pos^
sibU for the world to have been, in any je-
spect, even different from what it is, there
must have been some cause to have deter-

The Existence of God. 7

mined it to be actually what it is. For
where two or more things are equally pos-
sible, and when only one of these things
comes into existence, there must have beeb
a cause who has exercised choice and giv-
en a preference. If we do not admit this,
then we must admit an effect without a
cause : we must admit what we can hardly
conceive to be admitted by any rational
being. Nothing, I think, can be more
evident than this. We are obliged, there^
fore, by the constitution of our nature, to
infer the existence of a Being separate from
the world : and who is the original cause
of the world : who is himself imcaused^
eternal, necessary, self-existent: — a Being
whom we are taught to denominate God :
— a Being from whom we have derived
our own existence, and upon whom we de-
pend continually, both for existence, and
for every thing which we enjoy.

This conclusion, that there is an origin-
al Cause of all things, and who himself
has no cause, expresses a truth, which I ac*
knowledge is far above our comprehension;
yet it is such, as by the plainest and most
cogent train of reasoniixg^ we have be^tx

8 The Existence of God.

compelled to draw. Reason is forced to
admit the fact, that God exists ; — ^though
of the manner of the fact, — or, in other
words, bow God exists, — reason must con-
fess herself totally ignorant. And surely
we need not be surprised at our ignorance
on this subject, when we consider the fi-
niteness of pur understandings. We can-
not comprehend the manner even of our
own existence ; how then can we expect tp
comprehend the manner of Gocfs existence.
'' Canst thou by searching find out God ?

* Canst thou find put the Almighty unto

* perfection ?'*

To elude the force of this reasoning,
spm^ atheists have been so absurd and
silly a» to take refuge in a few unmeaning
words. They have ascribed all that we

behold to Nature^ — Fate^ — Chance But

what are Nature r-Fate^ — Chance .? r-Are

they real existences ? — Are they efficient
causes ? — Can they produce any thing ? —
He who uses these words, and annexes any
proper ideas to them, can understand, in

'^m^^mf^'

Job, xi, 7*

The Existence of God. 21

our fellow^creatures, command our esteem
and admiration, and if they hare conde-
scended to confer upon us unexpected and
unmerited favours, our hearts glow with
all the ardour of affection and gratitude.
What then should be our feelings towards

God \ towards him who is the first and

die last : the greatest and the best df all
Seings :«^cowards him who created not
only us, but every part of the universe >—
towards him who is clothed with all pos-
sible perfections y and who is contioually
exercising these perfections for the pro*
motioQ of our happiness :'*'»lx>wards him
from whom we derive all that we possess ;
ill our present comforts, and all our future
hopes. It is iq[ipo8sible to think <^Ggd
without being fixed in all the stillness c^
astonisfament. It is impossible duly to
think of him, without swelling with every
celestial emotion of confidence and love.-~
^ Great is dae Lord, and greatly to be prais^
* ed.' Who would not praise and magnify
his ^ excellent name V Praise the Lord all
his works! Praise the Lord, O my seul:
While ' the fool say4 in his heart, there is
^ no Grod ;' let me delight to acknowledge

22 The Existence of God.

him, and ^ sing praises to him while I have
* any being.'

But while we adore and love him, we

SHOULD BE DESIROUS TO RENDER .ALL POSSI-
BLE OBEDiEKCE TO HIM. When he made us,
he made us for some end ; and the end for
which he made us was to enjoy and com-
municate happiness. But we cannot an-
swer this end, without; imitating and obey-
ing him who designed this end, and hath
appointed the only means by which we can
attain to it. And we can never attain to
it, if we suffer our faculties to slumber in
indolence, or if we exert them only in the
commission of vice. We must put forth
-all the heaven-bom energies with .which
we are supplied, and with this noble acti-
vity, enter each upon the faithful perform-
ance of his appointed office. Never, must
we relax, for one moment, our holy en-
deavours; but incessantly labour to be fully
qualified for higher and higher spheres of
usefulness. We must, with zeal and with-
out intermission, pursue that glorious plan,
which is evidently formed for Ae accom-
plishment of the greatest possible happiness.
Let us carefully study then the all^erfect

The Existence of God,^ 23

will of our adorable Creator,, and- ©wnqistly
pray for grace to enable us to. conform tp
it. — * What, O man, , doth theXord re-

* quire ofthee, butto do justly, -aj^d to love

* mercy, and to walk humbly. with thy
' God.'* Attend solicitously to^ jthis, and
thou shalt have thyrewayd, ^Thou shalt
not only be comfort^btle here, bw5 fterAally
happy hereafter. Whik :\: tljQ^fippI wjip,

* hath said in his heart, itheSr«ifejW>iQod/

* shall go away into everla3ti9g:p«pi^b«xe«t|;,,

* thou, shalt go iilto life eteKnal.^

•■> ti

' -fjd <\..^-V

I CONCLUDE irfith observing^ thilt if.ftft
this is true, WHAT manSerqf mek t^H|^Y
ARE WHO RigjECT ANDitfEspisE II ! jTlsey^r^^
j^ct and despis^iwhat is evidently conspn^
ant tQ the .plainest dictates ^ of reaiaop,; m^
what we could not believe any man would
ever reject or despise, did we not know it
from woful experience. And yet these are
the persons, who, in the pride of their
hearts, lay claim to superior acquirements,
and pretend to look down with pity, if
npt with contempt, upon the rest of man-

♦ Mic. yi, 8, f Matt, xxv, 46.

SA Tht Z(mttn0t </ God.

kitid^ %ho are bdaevtn in God^ and ro^
tbfkfe dT TtU^oa ! Bw. what are die Taunt*
ed ^oquirements 4$f unbelievers ? Hxey have
leimt to give their x&indi a turn of think-
ing peculiar to themselves. They have
lotmt to resist the itrongest evidence, and
to repydftate the conclusions of oomnion
sense* To a certain species of talents, in-
deed> vre are not kKliaed to deny the just-
ness of dbeiar claims. They have sometimes
mgtmity, but it is vridiout fdmess ; often
njoit^ but it is virillidut wisdom ; and always
miadty^ but it is without goodness^ Well
dben, doe6 the psahmst denominaice diem
^faok^ May God whom ihey deny, shew
them their ^^, and bring tlmn, through
Jesus Canist, to genuine repentance: for
' esKept HbKj repent, dbey must perish.'

APPENDIX.

In tiic precedin-g dissettadoa, tl^ere m,
peiiiaps, littk ntw^ except in the airan^«
ment, and in the generd manner of tnatm]^
the subject. But if, even in these tnespect^
there be any thing new, luid at the tatae
time just, it is certainly impottant.

The authors, whose writings I hztt
perused upon the existence 'Of God, have
generally divided tlieir arguments into two
kinds, — the argument, as it is oommoniy
called, a priori, and the at^g^memt ^ poftt^
riori. This liaving !6ng appeared to me
sometiiing like a distinction wki^ovt a di£»
ference, I have, therefore, eadeatxDyred Co
cqmbine the Pwo arguments ia]» one. With
what success, I leave tJie reader «o judge. ,

The argument <a priori^ seemt to om nok
thing but the argument a pa^st^iori^ pat in
a more abstract form. Soth arguments

36 The Existence of God.

presuppose the existence of present objects ;
and from this existence^ the religious phi-
losopher deduces, as a conclusion, the ne-
cessity of some original self*existent Being.

In managing tbe argument a priori^ evei>
the profound and celebrated Dr. Clarke ap-
pears to have completely failed. He has
most satisfactorily proved that something
has eternally existed ; and in this he and
the atheist are entirely agreed. But what
is this eternal Something ? — Here they differ
essentially. The atheist maintains that it
is the material world, the visible mundane
system ; — ^that this system has existed al-
ways, and of itself J — ^that it is actuated
by an indefeasible necessity ; — ^impregnated
with a powerful vivifying principle, by
whose energy all the various generations,
corruptions, operations, and changes of
things, are incessantly carried on, without
a beginning, and without the possibility
of an end. In one word, the atheist
maintains that the universe itself is the
original necessary Being. Now, in order
to drive the atheist from this ground,
J>r. Clarke attempts to fix the precise
meaning of the phrase necessary existence.

The Existence of God. 9f

He says, that if a Beiiig exists necessarity^
his non-eXistence is a contradiction.^ But
it is no contradiction to sfupposc the non-ex-
istence of the material nniverfe ; there-
fore, the material nhi^c? fee dkniMyt be the
original necessary Being. The whole of
his argument, then^ depends upon the
meaning of the word contradiction. A con-
tradiction, (strictly and philosophically
speakingj, must mean, according to Dif.
Clarke himself, a contradiction- in terms,
so evident as to require no reasoning upoii
the subject, It is saying and unsaying, aJP-
finning and denying, a thing at the same
time, or in the same sentence. If I say that
white is black, and that black is wbite^ and
say this, retaining the ideas usually annex-
ed to those terms, I utter a contradiction :

I' .i I ' . 1 III I

* * The only true idea of a selfU^zistenty or necessarily-
< existing Being, is the idea of a Being, the supposition of
^ whose not-existing is an express contradiction. The rela-

* tion of equality between twice two and four, is an absolute

* necessity, only because it is an immediate contradiction in
^ terms to suppose them unequal. This is the only idea we

* can frame of an absolute necessity ; and to use the word in
€ any oth^r sense^ seems to be using it without any signid*
f fa tion at all.* See darkens Demonstration^ i^c. p,. 17.

2B TJkc l!J)isience of God.

for there is a manifest contrariety otincompa-
tibilUy between those ideas that are asserted to
coincide.— Bttt^ though I should assert that
two and two make^v^, the assertion, how--
ever false, would not perhaps amount to a
Srect contradiction. In point of form, one
step might be wanting. To make it such^
I must, perhaps, say at the same time, or
in the same sentence, that two and two
make yocrr, and that two and two make^w.
Now, if this be the strict meaning of the
vrord contradiction, Dr. Clarke's argument
falls at once to the ground. The atheist
affirms that the universe itself is the origin-
al necessary Being, " and this, however ab-r
surd, is certainly no direct contradiction*
For where is the direct contradiction, in
•ajring,— /<&^« is no God? Expressed in
other words, the proposition is this ;— Ti5^
universe exists without a cause. Now, in this
proposition, however false, there is no
more a direct contradiction than in the
|bllowing,<->-pGoD exists witboui a cause^
contains an unquestionable truth.

Those, again, who have dated the argu-
ment a posteriori^ have, in general, not
made it sufficiently conclusive. They have

The E:tistence of God. 29

done nothing more than enumerate the
many marks of design in the visible crea-*
tion. NoWy scmxe atheists will admit all
this, and yet maintain that there is no se-
parate, original, and independent cause of
the universe. They will maintain, that
there necessarily exists in the universe it-
self a natural and powerful principle, sufB-
cient to account for all that we behold. This
was the doctrine of the famous Spinoza,
and the imposing author of the Sy fleme de
la Nature. And the position, however gra-
tuitous and however false, certainly de-
serves to be noticed and exposed. But it
escapes all refutation from the theist,
who does nothing more than enumerate
the various marks of dedign^ apparent in
the works of creation.

I HAVE endeavoured to free the preceding
dissertation from the objection that may
be urged against Dr. Clarke's argument a
priori, as well as against the common state-
ment of the argument a posteriori' — And if
my statement shall be found to be correct,
perspicuous, and useful, I shall feel no or-
dinary degree of satisfaction. Every suc-
cessful effort to establish the fundameatal

30 The Existence of God.

article of all religion, must be highly gra-
tifying to every friend of humanity.

As far as I myself am, Here, capable of
judging, the whole of what I have written
on the Existence of God, is a dispassionate
appeal to calm and patient reflection ; and
is humbly oflFered to the public, under a
deep sense of the high and abstruse nature
of the subject.

t. :•

^ -. -■«

ttiB

OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD.

JEREMIAH, xxiii, 2S, 24.

Am I a God at handy saith the Lordj and not a
God ajar off*? Can any hide himself in secret
places that Isliallnot see him? saith the Lord.
Do not I Jill heaven and earth ? saith the Lord.

1 HERE is, perhaps, nothing with which
a reflecting man is sooner impressed, than
with a sense of his own ignorance. He
finds that there is not an object that meets
his eye, or a subject that occupies his mind,
which he fully comprehends. He does not
fully comprehend even the objects of sense.
He knows that they exist i but with their
essence, with the manner of their exist-
ence, he is totally unacquainted. The very
structure of his own body, and the consti-

32 The Omnipresence of God.

tution of his own mind, are to him inex-
plicable mysteries. He knows that he is a
compound of both ; but to the intimate
knowledge of the nature of either, he is
an absolute stranger. * The Father of
^ lights' hath communicated to us that
portion of light which is sufficient for direct-
ing our practice, while he hath been pleas-
ed to with-hold from us the full know-
ledge of any thing which is not requisite
to the great ends of our being.

We need not wonder then at our igno-
rance of the adorable Supreme. If we can-
not fully comprehend even the most com-
mon objects, is it at all surprising that the
great God should exceed our comprehen-
sion ? We know that he exists, and that he
eternally exists ; but bow he exists, is what
we might naturally expect to elude all our
most anxious inquiries. We are too apt to
consider the nature of his existence, as more
or less similar to our own. But how im-
mense is the diflPerence between the one
and the other ! The existence of God tran-
scends infinitely that of man, or any other
created being. He exists, for instance, not
like us, on a particular spot, and limited

The Omnipresence of Gad: 33

to a particular sphere: he exists every-
where : he exists, at every instant, in every
place: he is, at all times, equally present
in every part of the infinite expansion of
the universe. We cannot thus think of
the^ divine presence without being filled
with amazement. And yet what is now
stated, is not more amazing than true— ^

* Am I a<7od at hand, saith the Lord, and

* not a God afar off ?— dan any hide him^
' self in secret places that I shall not see

* him ? saith the Lord — ^Do not I fill hear

* ven and earth ? saith the Lord/

Let us consider, first, what proof we
have of the Omnipresexnce of God. — sir--
CONDLY^ how we should en4eavour to cpui-
ceive of it; and, lastly, some <^ the cour
clusion$ that may be fairly drawn from
this grand and interesting subject.

Let \is consider, fjrst, what proof wc
have of the omnipresence of God.

It has been proved, that the Being,
whom we denominate God, is upcau^ed ;
and hence, it follows, that his presence
must be unbounded. Had his presenoe

C .

34 The Omnipresence of God.

any bounds, then it must have been phy-*
sically possible for it to have fexceeded these
bounds. But when it is at all possible for
any Being to have existed beyoiid the
bounds within which he' does exist, this
evidently implies, that there has been some
cause that has limited his bounds to what
they actually are : for nothing can be plain-
er, than that whatever might, in any re-
spefct, have been otherwise than it is, must
have had some cause that determined it to
be what it really is. God, therefore, who
has no cause, can have ho limitation. Of
consequence, his presence cannot be limited
or local : it must be boundless and univers-
al. " He must exist everywhere^ in the
isatrie manner that he exists anywhere. He
'must exist in all places ; even throughout
tiifiAite space :^^an idea, it'must be confess-
ed, altogether incomprehensible; but not
more so than his existence itself: — an ex-
istence original and necessary :— without
any possible beginning, and without any

possible end.

>*■
> '. /

The Omnipresence of Gbd, farther ap-
peal from considering him as the Creator
' of the '.universe. If he c?reated all things,

The Omnipresence of God. 35

he must have been present with all things :
and he must also be continuaUy present
with them 5 for what he originally created,
he must continually preserve. No part of
the universe can preserve itself, any more
than it could, at first, make itself. It
once, was nothing, and what once was no-
thing, may be nothing again. If, then
it continue in existence : if it be preserved
from returning to its original nothing, it
must be preserved by its Creator. — If the
universe could preserve itself, then it would
be independent and self-existent, which is
altogether incompatible with our notions
of a creature. But if God not only created
all things, but must, every moment, pre-
serve all things, and if no power can act
but where it is, then the presence of
God must co-exist with universal nature.
And as there can be set to nature no as-
signable bounds, we naturally infer that
the divine presence is absolutely unbound-
ed, — literally immense.

Such is the proof which we have of the
omnipresence of God. Let us consider, se-
condly, how we should conceive of it.

C 2 .

30 The Omnipresence of God.

Our ideas of presence^ originally refer
to extension and place, and as our ideas of
extension and place are at first acquired by
means of material and sensible objects ;
dierefore, to these objects our ideas of pre-
sence must primarily belong. But when
we speak of sensible and material objects
being present anywhere, we mean that
they occupy a certain portion of space, to
the perfect exclusion of all other objects of
the same kind. This is so very clear,
that I need not enlarge: it is evident
from the slightest consideration of the na-
ture of matter. God, then, cannot be pre^
sent in the same way that matter is. Were
he thus present, then nothing could exist
besides him. But matter actually does ex-
ist ; and it has been proved that God too
exists everywhere. His presence, then,
cannot be like the presence of matter : his
must be what we call a spiritual presence :
we can conceive of him as present only by
the exercise of his attributes.

Besides, were God, who is] everywhere
present, present in the same way that mat-
ter is, then there could be no such thing
as motion; for motion always supposes

The Omnipresence of God^ 37

empty space. Now, were the omnipre-
sence of God like the presence of body or
matter, all space would be for ever neces-
sarily occupied :— -for the smallest portion
of it to be empty would be impossible, and,
consequently, any thing like motion would
be altogether inconceivable. But this is
in perfect opposition to every man's sense
and experience. We are led, then, to re-
sume our former conclusion j viz, the pre-
sence of God cannot be like the presenc^
of matter : His must be what we call a spi-
ritual presence : we can conceive of him as
present only by the exercise of his attri*
butes.

We know and feel such a presence with^
in ourselves. We know and feel the ex-
istence of our own minds : we know and
feel by their operations, that they are pre-
sent in our own bodies by the exertion of
their powers. And may we not easily
conceive other minds having a much great-
er compass of exertion ; a much wider
sphere of perception ; a much more exten-
sive and absolute command of matter ? En-
larging^, in this way, our conceptions, we
may come to form some faint idea of the

38 The Omnipresence of God.

DivineOm nipresence. Let us conceive of
God as pervading and actuating the uni-
versal system of nature, in a manner similar
(though in infinitely greater perfection) to
that in w^hich our minds pervade and ac-
tuate our bodies.

By this, however, 1 am far from mean-
ing that God is nothing more than the Soul
of the universe ; for this is a mean and un-
Iprorthy idea of him. He existed and pos-
sessed infinite perfection before the universe
came into being : he cannot, therefore, be
dependent upon it, and aiBPected by it, as
our souls depend upon, and are affected,
by the state of our bodies. If he were, he
could not be, as he has been proved to be,
eternal and self-existent. I mean only, by
this very low and imperfect image, to as-
sist our weak understandings in forming
some idea of his intimate and inseparable
presence with every thing th^t exists. I
mean only, that as the soul sees, and hears,
and feels, and determines for the whole
bodily system, so, though, in a way un-
speakably piore perfect, the great God per-
vades and actuates the entire system of na-
ture, of which we can see no end, and

The Omnipresence of God. 39

which probably has no bounds* His power,
and intelligence, and goodi;iess, (by the ex-
ercise of which only we can apprehend his
presence), extend throughout immensity.
It is not possible for any thing, whether
the least or the greatest in existence, to be
for one moment without the sphere of
their illimitable influence. While finite
natures are each, confined to one particular
region, and while they are present, even
in their respective regions, they are so on»
ly in a very imperfect manner :-r-each pre*^
sent only by successive motion, and with-
out, possessing .any thing like supreme di-
rection. But we must conceive^ of God as
equally present, every instant, in eVery
part of infinite space : as at all times com^-
prehending, sixj^orting, moving, and re^*
gulating all beings.* — * Am IaGod.(saith
* he) at' hand,, and not a G0d afar off ?--^

* Deum, namque ire per omne&
Terrasquc, tractusque mans, coelumque profuncjum.

ViRG. Oeorg. 4, v. 221;

t : . t

. por God the whole- created mass inspires ;

llhrough heaven and earth and ocean s depths he throws
' *' pis: influence round, and kindles as he goes.

: - : .' J.-. . . DRVPBH.

40 The Omnipresence of God.

^ Can any hide himself in secret placei; that
^ I shall not see him ? saith the Lord. Do
^ not I fill heaven and i^arth? saith the
' Lord'

But here it may be asked^ — if God is
alike present everywhere, how is it vhat he
is often represented in Scripture as taking
up his abode in particular places : — ^as
dwelling, for instance, in heaven: — as
dwelling in temples upon earth : — and as
dwelling in the hearts of good men ?

To this it is answered, such language is
evidently figurative, and, when properly
understood, conveys nothing in the least
contradictory to the doctrine which I have
now endeavoured to establish.— It has just
now been observed, that V(re are to con-
<;€ive of God as present everywhere, by
the exercise of his attributes. Now, can-»
^ot we conceive him, though at all times
exercising his attributes throughout im-
mensity, yet aflFording different displays of
these attributes in difierent places, and to
different persons ? — ^It is in this strongly
figurative sense, that he is represented as
fixing anywhere his habitation. It is in

The Omnipresence of God. 41

this^ease, that he is said to dwellin heaven:
though omnipresent, yet there he particu*
larly manifests his majesty and glory.-«»
It is in this sense, that he is said to dwell in
temples upon earth : though omnipresent, yet
there he particularly manifests to the.faith«
ful his * grace and truth.' — ^It is in this
sense, that he is said to dwell in the heart of
every good man : though omnipresent, yet
there he particularly manifests his sancti-
fying and consoling influence. He inspires
every good .man with holy thoughts : he
forms within him generous and noble pur-
poses : he purifies and eUrates his mind :
he makes him * thoroughlj^ furiiished un-
* to every -good work** — ^He would be
grossly ignorant indeed then, who would
ever think of interpreting such scriptural
figures in a literal sense. It was never aa
object of Scripture to represent God as
having, strictly speaking, any local habi-
tation. He can be confined neither to any
temple up6n earth, nor to toy dwelling-
place in heaven. Neither earth, nor hea-
ven itself, can contain him. Could you
rise above the earth : could you soar be*
yoad the mooii, and paSs through all the
planetary choir : could you even reach

42 The Omnipresence of God.

what you may conceive to be the utmost
orbit of the universe, even there you would
be under his eye, and comprehended by hia
presence. — Who can go where he is not ?
All nature is his temple : all space is his
abode,*

* There is a most beautiful and sublime description of the
emnipresence of God in the 139th Psalm, verses 7» 8; 9,
10, II, 12. * Whither,' says the Psalmist, * shall I go from

* thy spirit, or whither shall I flee from thy presence* — If

* I ascend up into heaven, thou art there : if I make my

* bed in hell, behold thou art there : if I take the wings

* of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the
' teay even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right

* hand shall hold me : if I say, surely the darkness shall co-

* ver me» even the night shall be light about me : yea the

* darkness hideth not from thee ; but the night shineth as

* the day : the darkness and the light are both alike to thee,'
It is remarkable^ that an ancient philosopher, generally and
deservedly esteemed, has been led into almost the very same
train of thought, and the very same mode of expression with
the Psalmist, which shews, (as Clemens Alexandrinus some*

where says), that At fMytt>Mi ^io-m fcett yvfAvtti vet6m Wtyjir*
V6ti vi^\ njv aixi$itttu u c. exalted and ingenuous minds have a par*
ticular sagacity in the discovery of truth* The philosopher, to
whom I allude, after observing that the wicked shall not g9
uppunishedy adds : * Boast not thysdf, however fortun&te

* thou mayst be, that thou shalt escape the divine justice.

* Overlooked by her thou canst not be, no, not though small

* as thou art, thou shouldst descend into the depths of tfat,
' earth, or though r^sed on high thou shouldst fly up int»

* heaven.*

Plato de Legibus, x*

The Omnipresence of God. 43

NO thus soea \^hat proof wc havf
4^f! the QCQinipri^encc of G€4» aad aUd ho^
w^ should endeavour to conceive of it, let
us now cooler s<Hne of the conclusions
which may be fiirly drawn from this grand

and intierestin^ sfibject*

t ■ • • I

< • ... X^A

. The cond|i$ions that may be drawn
from, this subject, are of two kinds,.^-those
that immediately respect God, — ^and those
that immediateliy respect ourselves, .

Those that immediately respect God, are
the following -..^^.JSdnce He, the great Qri-
^nal indepei^ent Being is omnipresent^ he
must also be Omniscient : infinitely Powen-
/ul and infinitely Wise. r.

He must ,bie 0MNisciENT.r— He is the
M^kcr of aU things; and all the thingp
which he ha|h made^. strikingly dempn-
st;rate his knowledge. No,w, : his k^ipwr
ledge must be of the same, extent with his
presence ; for his knowledge ,is inseparable
from his being. But his presence is ;inr
finite ; therefore, it follows, that his know-
ledge is infinite also.-u^God. c;aniiot but
iM^ow ^d pcriceive every thmg that exists,

44 The Omriiptesenee (Sjf Gddj

afid' fctery etcrit that taikes place, wHcrc-
ever he himself resides : and^ as he neces^
sarily resides throughout infinite space,
infinite space gives room to infinite know-
ledge : it is, as it were, * an organ to omni-
science.' — ^ Does not God fill heaven and

* earth ?' — * Can any then hide himself in
^ i^ecf et places that lie ^hall not set him ^ —

* All things lie open and nslked to him

* with whom we have to do.'— He per-
ceives with one simple attention, every
side of every object, every atom of every
body^ and every thought of every breast. —

* He searcheth the heart, he trieth the

* reikis.' — ^He has a full and immediate
prospect of the inmost nature and essence
of every thing, and of all its results, so that
nothing, whether it be past, present, or
to come, can be concealed from his inspec-
tion. This, it miust be granted, is a truth
far above our comprehension^; but it is a
truth which^ by fair and irrefragable rea-
sofiing, we are^ compelled to admit. — ^What
a subliipe, impressive, and instructive idea
does this give us of God !

'God must also he infii^itely power-
ful. He who made all things, and who

The Omnipresence of God. 45

is, every moment, present everywhere, pre-
serving and governing all things, caimot
experience any prevailing opposition to his >
will. It is manifest that no conceivable
bounds can be set - to his power. This is
so manifest that nothing more is necessary
than to give lively and affecting descrip-
tions of it : such descriptions as may pro-
perly impress the mind with the supreme
majesty of God, and with the absolute
necessity of our becoming dutiful subjects
of his government. And for these, whe*
ther can we turn with such advantage as
to the Holy Scriptures ? Let us then care-
fully read, and devoutly attend to what
they say.—,-.* The earth is the Lord's, and

* the fulness thereof ; the world and they

* that dwell therein : for he hath founded
^ it upon the seas, and established it upon
< the floods.— He is wise in heart and

* mighty in strength. Who has hardened
^ himself against him and has prospered ?

* —-Which removeth the mountains and

* they know not ; which overturneth them

* in his anger ; which shaketh the earth

* out of her place, and the pillars thereof

* tremble ; which commandeth the sun and

* it riseth not, and sealeth up the stars *^

46 The Omnipresence of God.

which alone spreadeth out the heavens,
and treadeth upon the waves of the sea ;
which doeth great things past finding
out, yea and wonders without number.
-—He liveth for ever : his dominion is an
everlasting dominion, and his kingdom
from generation to generation : and all
the inhabitants of the earth are reputed
as nothing ; and he doth according to his
will in the army of heaven and among
the inhabitants of the earth; and none
can stay his hand, or say unto him,

what dost thou ? Salvation, and honour,

and power, unto the Lord our God ! Al-
leluiah ! for the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth ! Let us be glad and rejoice, and
give honour to him.'*

Again, it follows that God must not
only be omniscient and infinitely power-
ful, but INFINITELY WISE. — There is a
difierence between wisdom and knowledge.
Knowledge is the foundation of wisdom ;
but not wisdom itsel£ Wisdom is the pro-

* Psalm XXIV, i, 2. Job iZ| 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10. Dan. iv,
o4^ 35- ^c^- xix, 1,6, 7*

The Omilip^resence of God. 47

per exerdse ojf knowledge : it is kniowlcdge
digested and japplied to its right use ; to the
contriving and producing of jgood upon
the whole. Wisdom, therefore, is as dif-
ferent 'from knowledge as good conduct is
different from the bare intuition, or exact
discernment of truth. And wisdom, there^
fore, ife as much preferable to knowledge
as beneficial practice is preferable to mere
visionary and inactive speculation. — That
wisdom and knowledge are different, appears
too, from the fact, that we sometimes ob-
serve the one without the other existing in the
same person. How many are there of our
fellow-creatures who possess the latter with-
out possessing the former ! This seems to
me so very plain as to require no farther
illustration. — But though knowledge and
wisdom do not always exist together in hu-
man beings, they must exist together in
God* God the great, original, and inde-
pendent Existence being omnipresent, and
consequently, as has been proved, infinite
in knowledge and power, must therefore
be infinite in wisdom. Knowing perfectly
every thing, he must have perfect know-
ledge both of the best ends, and of thef best
means of accomplishing these ends. Hav-

48 The Omnipresence of God*

ing infinite power, he must also ht perfect-*
ly able to emplpy, with complete eflfect,
these means for the accomplishment of
these ends« ^ And from his nature, it is im«*
possible to conceive of him as being sub*
ject to any influence that can ever divert
him from such righteous employment.—
In other words, he must be infinitely wise:
he must be continually exercising his per*
fections for the production of the real and
ultimate good of the universe. — ^ The Lord
^ of hosts is wonderful in counsel and ex-«

* cellent in working ^O the depth of the

* riches both of the wisdom and know*

* ledge of God ! How unsearchable are his
^ judgments, and his ways past finding

• out r*

Such are the conclusions from this sub-
ject which immediately respect God ; but
there are also most important conclusions
which immediately respect ourselves. — ^The
Omnipresonce of God should fill us with
awful reverence ; — it should deter us from
the commission of sin ; — it should incite

k^—^

* tsaiah xxviii, 29. Rom. xi> 33.

Tht Omnipresence of God. 49

ub to the zealous discharge of active duty :
^-— it should sink us into humble contrition t
it shoidd inspire every good man with con*
fidence and hope.

The Otnnipresence of God ishould fill us
with AWFUL REVERENCE. — ^The presence even
of a man who has superior mind and in-
£uence^ naturally excites in us the senti-^
ment of profound respect. What senti-
ment then of this kind should we feel to^
wards God ; that great Being who is con-
tinually present, not only with us, but with
all the countless creatures that thicken

throughout the immensity of space ! ^who

knows all things ; who can do all things !
and who is always doing whatever is best.
The idea of such a Being plunges the mind
at once into the depths of astonishment.-—
Who has' pleasure in contemplating all that
is grand ? hither let him repair to receive
the sublimest pleasurc^-^Who is gratified
with having his mind distended to the ut*
most stretch of admiration ? hither let him
instantly repair to receive the most holy
and divine gratification. * Who in hea-

* ven can be compared unto the Lord ? —

* Who among the sons of the mighty cap.

50 The Omnipresence of Gad.

* be likened to the Lord ? — ^God is greatly
^ to be feared in the assembly of the saints^

* and to be had in reverence of all them

* that are about him.'*

The Omnipresence of Gqd should D£*

T£R us FROM THE COMMISSION OF SIN.

Sin naturally subjects the sinner to punish*
ment ; for sin is the transgression of the
divine law, and must be unspeakably of-
fensive to the Divine Lawgiver. And as the
Divine Lawgiver is Omnipresent, it is im-
possible for the sinner either to elude his
eye or to escape his righteous judgment. —

* Can any hide himself imsecret places that

* L shall not see him ? saith the Lord. Do
f not I fill heaven and earth ? saith the

* Lord.' — Is not the criminal ashamed and
afraid when he finds that his crimes are
discovered even by his fcUow-creatures ?
Can detected villany lift up its head ? Can
he who has justly forfeited the world's
esteem, dare to look the world in the face ?
— ^How then should the sinner feel when
he thinks of a pure and holy God who is
present with him on every spot where he

* Psalm Ixxxi]^, 6, 7.

The Omnipresence ofGtd. 51

acts : mbo ponderetli all his goings : who
Inspecteth and recordeth both all his deeds
afid all his intentions, and who will like-
wise, one day bring every work into judg-
ment, whether it be good or whether it be
evil ? — It is from not believing, or not duly
reflecting upon this, that men venture up-
on and continue in the commission of
wickedness. Attend to the delineation of
their character given us in the Scriptures.
— .* They have not God before their eyes.'
The great hope of the wicked is, that no
eye sees them, and that their wickedness
will rimiain undiscovered ; but let some one
become acquainted with their designs, and
their vain hope is utterly disappointed. It
is- right then, for the hxmian mind to be
awed by some being : — the great Omni-
present Being, whose authority renders
even its privacy more solemn**-p»it is right
to think in every plice as Jacob did at
Bethel — ^ Surely God is in this place : how
* dreadful is this place !'~.and to say with
Joseph — *' How can I do any wickedness

« Magna spes peccatorum toUitury si' peccaturis testis ad<^
sistat : aliquem habeat animus quern vereatur, cujus auctori-
tate etiam secretum suoxn sanctius facit.

52 The Ommpre$tmet 9f God

' and sin against God r—*R^:ii]ar and vi^id
recollection of this kind is the best shield
that can be held before the heart of man,
to enable him to 'mthstand the power of
sin : to repel successfully every attack of
temptation.

The Omnipresence of God, should in-
cite us to THE ZEALOUS DISCHARGE OF AC-
TIVE DUTY. God commands us, not only
to abstain from sin, but to cultivate holi-
ness. He commands us not only to ^ cease
• to do evil/ but to * learn to do well/—
And what an incitement to ^ do weir is
this reflection* — * God is ever present with
us : God ever sees us : God witnesses
every righteous and honourable deed
which we perform, and every good and
generous sentiment which we entertain*
And he who is now our witness, will here-
after be our judge !* Duly reflecting thus^
every serious man will say — * What man-
ner of person ought I to be in all holy
conversation and godliness ! Create in me
a clean heart, O God, and renew a right
spirit within me ! May my conversation
be as it bccometh the gospel of Christ ! —
May I be filled with all the fruits of righte-

The Omnipresence of God. 53

* ousness which are by Christ Jesus tm-

* to the glory and praise of God ! — O may

* 1 be stedfast and unmoveable, always
^ abounding in the work of the Lord, for,
^ as much as I know that my labour shall

* not be in vain in the Lord.'-^Let every
one then who would not only avoid sin,
but be zealous in the discharge of active
duty, thus reflect and pray to that Omni-
present and holy Being who never, for one
instant, takes off his eye, either from our
external conduct, or from our inmost
thoughts, and who will soon distribute,
with impartial hand, to every individual,
the punishment or the prize, according to
his respective character*

The Omnipresence of God should sink
us into HUMBLE coNTRfTiON. We have
all been guilty of innumerable sins, and
committed them all before the M^esty of
heaven. — ^ Can any one hide himself in
^ secret places that I shall not see him ?
> saith the Lord, — Do not i fill heaven and

* earth? saith the Lord/ — * Against the

* Lord then have I sinned, and don? all my

* evil in his sight. And what am I, a
' mean creature — a contemptible worm,

I>3

54 The Omnipresence of Gaji:

^ that I should dare «> rebel agakiiSt ^e

* Lord; to insuk him oa* his tbronp/and
' in his empire ! It < becomes me to be
^ pained and alfflicted : jcor humble , g^^yself

* in the dust : to sorrow r stfter a godly sort,

* and bring forth firuits meet for rep^t-

* ance.-.jO that my head werfe wate«^ and
^ mine ^yes a fountain of tears^ th^ I

* might weep day and night for my trans*

* gressidns W •-

The Omnipresence of God should in^
^pire eveiry^good man^ with confidengB^
And HoiPE. yWhat has such a man to fear
under the Divine government ? The Di-
vine Inspector is always present with him :
always beholding him, and always provid-
ing both fop his presoit and future wel-
fare. And recollect too, that this divine
presence is a presence of power, against
which no force can prevail, and of wisdom
which no device can deceive. As sure
then as the righteous Lord loveth righte-
ousness, so sure it is that the righteous
may trust in him, and rest perfectly as-
sured that all things which befal them,
whether they be, at present, ^ joyous or
grievous,' shall be so overruled as to pro*

The Omnipresence of God, 63

mote their nutf d improrement and .final
l^appiQess. ^ God is their refogel and
streagtb; a yeryipreientJielp intitniblc:
jther^Ec^ they need not fear thougiithe
^arth be remoTied^ and though the .maim-
rtfdna be carried into the midst of ' the
sea : though the .waters thereof roar and
be troubled : though the mountains shake
with the swelling thereof. — Though the
fig-tree should not blossom, neither fruit
be in the vines : though the labour of
the olive should fail and the fields yield
no meat : though the flock should be cut
off from the fold and there should be no
herd in the stalls, yet may they rejoice
in the Lord, and joy in the God of their
salvation.'* — ^The Divine goodness and
mercy shall ever follow them : they shall
be with them even in * the valley of the

* shadow of death.' Death shall prove to
them, only the breaking down of that par-
tition which intercepts their view of the
God who is always present with them, and
whom, they shall, after death, * see even as

* they are seen, and know even as they are

* known/

Psalm xlvi, .i, 2, 3. Hab. iii, 17,

56 The Omnipresence of God.

May we all live tinder the influence of
this holy and blessed faith. May we all
be deeply impressed with a sense of the
Omnipresence of the Supreme Being. And
may we feel no ambition but to please
him, nor covet any happiness but to en-
joy him.

THft

GOODNESS OF GOD.

PSALM czIt» K

The Lord is good to all^ and his tender mercies are

over all his works.

1 HAT there is an original, independent,
and self-existent Being who is the Creator
and Governor of all things, has been prov-
ed by the plainest and most cogent reason-
ing i and has been the general belief of all
ages and nations. And to this original and
self-existent Being, we are naturally led to
ascribe infinite power, and knowledge, and
wisdom. As he possesses an underived
and eternal nature, it is impossible to con-r

58 The Goodness of God.

ceive of him, as in any respect, either li-
mited or controuled. As he created, up-
holds, and regulates all things, he must
perfectly know all things :— consequently
he must know whatever is best, and being,
at all times, able to attain it, therefore
whatever is best, whether in regard to
means or ends, must be the object of his
choice. In other words, unbounded power,
knowledge, and wisdom, are necessary at-
tributes of the Supreme. But these, how-
ever great and adorable they are, do not
constitute the whole of his character, nor
are they, considered by themselves, fitted
to attract and influence perfectly the intel-
ligent mind. They may indeed fill us with
awe, strike us with astonishment, over-
whelm us with terror ; but they can never,
of themselves, afibrd us the enjoyment of
quietude and comfort, or excite in us the
finer and pleasurable feelings of gratitude
and love. — To power, and knowledge, and
wisdom then, we must add the darling at-
tribute of GOODNESS. This is necessary
to shed mildness and lustre upon the whole;
to tranquillize and gladden the heart of
man ; and to adorn and perfect the charac-

The, Goodn€.98 of ^ Gitd. SO

tcr of God.* Surely, thea/ we cannot; he
better employed than in maturely consider-
ing this .gloj;^pus attribute. If we have
either wrong- pptions of it. or do not tho-
roughly belieye in it> pjjjr. reiJjgJLO.us teimpg:
and services will undojubtedly be material-
ly injured, if i^ot totally de^stroyed. Every
man who regards and obfys the Lord, in a
proper and acceptable m4nner, must have
the impression of: this divine truth ev^r
lively u,pon his fnind :— ' The Lord isrgood

* to all, and ^s ,tefl.der mercies ; are over aU

* his works .'-YiWhat, therefojj?^! now pror
f ose, is briefly to explain and prove the
cooDN£;ss of God, and then to consider
some of the important conclusions whicli
most naturally follow from the principles
that will be e^stablished on this truly pi^asr

ing and profitable subject.

• I cannot help^observing hdrey'that all t^ose.in .t)xe .hea-
then world, who had any tolerably correct notioixs of the
Supreme God, howevier much they might differ about other
-things concerning him, perfectly agreed in ascribing to hixh
igoodnesft, and in considering this as the chief of his perfeo-
tions. They emphatically called him the best and the
GREATEST. Accordingly, in the Platonic Tifinity ^Afafcp
stands above Nvs and irvx,h*

60 The Goodness of God.

First then, I am to explain the nature
of the Divine Goodness. — By goodness we
are not here to understand universal recti-
tude, or the complete character of a moral
a:gent, (though this is what the word is
sometimes employed to denote), but mere-
ly that part of universal rectitude which is
usually denominated benevoknce^ or a dis-
position to communicate all possible happi-
ness. This is the plain meaning of the
word when we apply it to man or to other
intelligent beings. It must therefore have
the same meaning when we apply it to
God. The goodness of God is not difierent
from the goodness of man, in kind: it is
diflPerent only in degree. The goodness of
man is always imperfect : the goodness of
God again must always be absolutely per-
fect : the ultimate happiness of his crea-
tures must always be the grand object of
his choice, and in this the exercise of his
power, and knowledge, and wisdom, must
invariably terminate as their proper end.

• Every good and every perfect gift cometh

• down from the Father of lights.— He is

• good to all^ and his tender mercies arc

• over all his works.'

The Goodness of God. 6l

To have right notions of the goodness
of God, we must conceive of it as wise
and rational ;— .as impartial and universal ;
immutable and eternal

W£ must conceive of the goodness of
God as Tvise. and rational. — It is not like the
kindness of man, which is always accom-
panied with infirmity, and which is often
nothing more than the effect of mere in-
stinct, or some mechanical and involuntary
impulse. The goodness of God is, in every
case, guided by imerring reason, and ope-
rates by the laws of eternal truth. It is
not a blind disposition to commimicate hap-
piness to all indiscriminately ; but only a
disposition to proportion happiness to the
different degrees of virtue that obtain in
the universe. God is pure and perfect rea-
son, and can therefore love that only which
is truly lovely. Devoid of passion, and
judging by the nature of things, and not
by mere sensations, of which he is glori-
ously incapable, his goodness must be in
complete harmony with his perfect intelli-
gence.

« ■

But we must conceive of the goodness

^ The Goodness of God.

of God, as also impartial and universal. It
is not unjustly confined to a select few : it
is shewn to all without exception, who will
cordially receive it. God is no respecter
of persons : he has no favourites but those
who arc friends tor truth and righteousness.
He is good, and continually doing good^
and doing it in the most perfect manner
through the boundless regions of the uni-
verse. He hath not only created this mag-
nificent earth, and stored it with the riches
of his bounty, but also created, (amazing
thought !) other and innumerable worlds,
and peopled them with an unknown mul-
tiplicity of beings, rising one above an-
other, in an endless gradation of still richer
endowments and still nobler capacities —
and he hath done all this with the glorious
view of transfusing his exuberant kindness,
and imparting felicity in all its forms. —
Hence die Scriptures emphatically say —
* there is none good but one, that is God :'
•^— none truly and essentially good : none
whose goodness extends itself in an infinite
variety of blessings to all capable objects,
or who is ever dispensing his favours from
the sole principle of free and disinterested
benevolence.

The Goodness of God. 65

But we must coaceiye of the goodness
of Go^y not oi^y as wise and rational, as
impartial and universal, but likewise as
wmmtable and enrkaL ^Qod, who is inde-
pendent and self-existent, must be always
the same : no attribute of his nature can,
at any period, be dther destroyed or im-
paired. — ^If goo^nisss then is an attribute
of his nature, it mu$t partake of his own
durability: it can be subject neither to
failure ncur to change. It has been in di-
vine exercise ^^iw eternity, and to all eter-
nity its exercise will continue. Like an
overflowing fountain which is ever emit-
ting its streams, and yet never emptied ;
which, is for ever flawing, and yet never
either exhausted or diminished ; so the Di-
vine Goodness will be diffusing for ever
and ever through all space, life, and know-
ledge, and perfection, and happiness* —
What a sublime and delightful idea of
God ! His goodness, like all his odier at-
tributes, is * wondrotis in our eyes :* * it
• passeth all knowledge.'

Such are the iddus which we should en-
tertain of the Divine Goodness. Let me

64 The Goodness of God.

iiow:epLdeavour to point out what evidence
we have for believing in it.

And, ^r//, the perfect goodness of God
appears from the consideration of his per-
fect intelligence — ^This argument, though
it may be considered as somewhat abstract^
is quite intelligible, even to the common*-
est mind that will bestow upon it any toler*
able degree of attention. I hope that the
following statement of it will appear/ to
every one who is capable of judging, suf-
ficiently plain and convincing.

There is a manifest andimmutable dis-
tinction between actions and between cha-
racters* Right and wrong are so essentially
difierent that no power can confound their
separate natures, and make them unite and
absolutely coalesce in one abstract, uniform
idea — ^What is right has a tendency to con-
tribute to general and ultimate happiness^
and what is wrong, has a tendency to coii«
tribute to general and ultimate misery .—•
In the present case then, the only question
is, — whethier it is bett«r to do good or to
do evil : — ^Whether thosef actions are pre-
ferable which lead to order and felicity, or

The Goodfiess of GmL 66

diose which lead to di8or4ef and inlelicity ;
and whether those charactera are more
eligible which are benevolent and benefit
cial, or those which are malevolent and mi»«
chievoua i^^^A question, which (I presume)
must be at once decided by all mankind.
For can we hesitate a moment .abbut pre^
ferring the former class of actions and cha^
racters to that of. the latter? .We necessari*^
ly feel the preference of pleasure to pain :
we know that the one, with ; ir^pect to all
sensitive natures, is to be chosen before
the other. How is it possible to doubt
whether we ought to communicate the
greatest possible pleasure to our fellow^*
cres^tures, when we know that this is abt
solutely iest? Here no reasonable being
can have the smallest scruple, though he
had not one implanted instinct, but wen
directed purely and solely by inteilectual ia^
fluence.^^If then it is true, that there if
an immutable distinction between happi-
ness and misery, and consequently be*
tween the actions and characters which
lead to the one and those which lead to
the other, and if every reasonable being
must immediately perceive this distinction^
it follows, of couric, that, God whQ ie^per^

^ ^he Goodness of God.

feet reason jnust perceive it perfectly, aad
must, fromJhis independbicy and all-suf->
£ciency,;act in ^vtry case towards his crca<«.
uares accocdibgly. If it is absolutely iin->
possible- to conceive perfect reason to act
unreasonably, and if it is evidently unrea-
sonabkvisdkiprefer misery to happiness, then
how oon ever God have ^ such a preference ?
Does'itjnotvi'ather appear from his very
nature' that he; inust be intensely desirous
of promtxtingi the latter, and equally averse
to promoting the former ? — I can scarcely
think of a stronger argument for the good-,
ness of the Deity. — ^It shews that his good-
ness is an inseparable attribute of his Be*
ing, and that it is as certain that he is peiv
fectly gobd, as it is certain that we say
right, when, we say that he is perfectly
iutelligent'. Well then, do the Scriptures
assert what is more literally true than is
generally imagined, that * God // love V

•« ' #

. Secon3LY^ the goodness o f God appears
from the. benevolent dispp^itions which, he
hath implanted in the hwnan race. Qood-
ness xn'.thiswprld, is cojididerably exercised
andcherished' by ma nYt.a nd approved ^
jifflT^plauded by almost alU But if this

A I.

Si&yi degtti&,fi iflPtm, '4t i itftf 6tl yii2Sie|)^>i^^«l«ii
' a 0oiM 4imidf ^tftdti^jjd i' As '^tibiae

life, aicdr«i»ed^b9«btidMc6)l^g^^i^yl|o'^^
never 'bxm^'diitbd^se^toASetkiStiii'icfEi g:^

>n, n»Wiii_ Pm tl*—iil ^<Wi» J II, ■ iii> I'll It I I 1 *

sa ttxreitiifa tliat goddiou^ tfOiW^MdAg^hU
other gei&cx»^i.l-4i«llij^ ^^Yf

animki;of e^Qry^ c^der^t^H a'ttaiuiuP iWfi
for its off$piriif^/d[nd^by:i39i^Ili^ l»i
this ioirt eitcnd;^ not- fonl?yottM'4ht^6^ttog
of ^ tbdr. r bpcfiea, . but > kko '^tb thts • 'pf oduct
tionsxjfulaitiiriimiiidQ^^ v'^d>tiie>«rork Wli^
they have tmg^i0C(6lyi>ctAi«nve^^ ^'^tftklljr
&rmed; :itbly Jexctctifto.,^ \keyl oftten^ ibfelngftiitl
ly attaiEhedbasiCDt^^^fidiy^cllild:/ ^vfTlliiiitiliSL
{todtktfk' 4(eettisi riM^eiy jdrdeted./^ IfdsMtfil
aidiaessfiivyc to promot^ifliiHiptdderrfrjclie :^gfiL
neral good ; and must, therefore, b e rig ht
and laiidable in itself, when directed to
proper objects^ tt^d gaxeled:b7"idi9creti(>n.
It is impossible th^'tt flia^thfrblc^^' dS.

£2

^ The 0oodne99 <^ O^

posidob (but ¥oi4.pf* 931 weakMW ajoud ii
pfiiecdoa), will cipt: ^$4: eyd? ' a;Qtttate t^t
islfinAtfS Beingvwb^iis tJbte g^e«t; cuise of
$i9,^id.of all.ifiHr.'IdnPcem jiQji Iwiidable

^C)^ns. v-If >wai Jiwdy r^ipwkt^iby »

<M9g^it$h^ :pitiU>8fifilMr o^; jjuaqpiicy,*

l)(9li;r (,th^ r^ work . jCtboJOgb it: Were en*
4<>vne4 witfe." Wife ;*»d' Jniod) Mron^^.lovo

j^ffit^Tr^eAsJa^smol^laAdly tn^^da the

I1(CS9]» li^bQ i^.Kbe j9l[iie«t <^ his (b^eficence

lbl%jto person dgeds t^wacds Jiina. ^The

I sii fig>e boj^g jtraeiof rt bfr a£Ebjia«M parents

ng^u^y^ESP, Tj^s^jMid, ii^ fiTOgraLteag

9 M!»Bs Ifaas the pagwt wirfritbe jsame dej

Pf gtot does the -jotaldr ^^^Agid yit, at first
^TeH^ Qoe wo)9ci be apt to thibk. that the
pliwltltle of gramude wouM here naturals
if xst^iUfjiXxd inftke>th;e love 6£ixim who
xMijuyMifayouc^jg^eater thatt/:the lore of
buB^abi! wiioxo: the /favour is conferred*
But cfsp^rkoceqikhunly ^hews us dxat this

••

,-^r?¥«7«*:"fWwlJipw. 4>«^ ^"S^rS ^ffiiN« i».»i*ir
«mi Ww^w-w* ^-Airt"'* ^> Niu. u.

• ••

the G^tiMiiifXioii $0

fhat lotb d^edds mofe^-^aii it a«cehdt.

i^ Now r wcrtiM here t^y thkr dSsei^
to God ih^ ^o dui^eltrciSi" I' infer tbis aa^
an nn^trestiohable trath, ^at our ^acious
and mercifid Fadier in hearten lovels us nn-^
sptSLkkhfy^nbrt tkan the OMt tended tndi
dntifhl* amd^ n^ are caj^ble of Idvkig'
Him.— -* He sktiisfieth the rffei^ire of eVery

^ 4dndnessl.^Haw pfedoBii so^ his thoughts^
* nhto the "^children of men!-i^HoW great
^ is the sum of them V

ACAiN, the goodnesffr of God appears
from considering, that were he not good^
he Would be more iaiperftet and worse
than the most -imperfeet slhd wbrst of hi^
intelligent creatures. In men, every trans^
session, and particulaerly the transgression
of the law of kindness and beneficence,
arises from false riews and f^om the strong
impulse of passion. T^e sinner fixes his
desires upon some improper object!s ; upon
these his whole sotll is bent : he i^ im;^-
tient to be gratified-; and orerlooking all
the erit coHsequeoces of his coh^et, he is

bftlf^J ^p?tiBj^jj)p|i, his p)^4j;f^}uif;l^ fai^;

l»iHX.9bppi^o\i«,' .jTjhfi ^ycf pf-t^s.-undc^-
b^]jrs under § s|:r;G«^jdfl,uj^^ and C9pHs^i-

fi xatio n for future aaa^' l<^tii)g^gQqdi ; I|i.
no case can we suppose that he chooses
evil ,qiQf e|y ; bec^yise it 'j& evil, ' ;ind refuses
gBp4:. merely; bieC^yis^.Jtt ia.good, ,l?e re^
fvise^ , gpQfl. ^qt^^vse, , ^e. iinagines: ,it to be
contr^ry,;^,vJiiSii?pi4iat|B, jpt^rej^t; ^ ^pd I*e
chp9§fs,. ey,il, . bec^\ise 1^' ^els. it ^gyeeabl^

iJ9)?^»./^Pfi.ft5it^rsr tj?ftppl^;thatj\e wU not
s\}§^r jfejfjij; jh^jB^ftgTjTThfiW qWilfJj-we. .$up^

smapospif r9jn ,lji&;bfing(,9fij^r, liable , to

i^M^e ^r^m^^q^i\>ji d^4fm, ^\^^ he .

f^^^ iS^ll Vm^F »P I&^' -'tW >e ;Jcnaw?

pfrwiy.(Wl¥^n(f8bbg8t,i>*^ •??."- 'V^^^ no

t«nffaft»il8:^WisUiwJ»fl?[to^Rr0i¥Pte it,

The Goodness of Gh^. Tl

it necessarily fidlows that hisr c^jriidiict! td-
vards his creapares must arise frqm some
dreadful and- unaccountable Aversion to
thfir: happiness solely consido'ed ais such^
Now^ upon this ?. absurd -and monstrous
supposition^ God^ instead of .the greatest
and best, must be 'the lowest -and worst of
all beings j for nothing can be great that is
not good.^ 'Wh»e tffacre is ^no jgioodness,
there can he nothing but irregularity,' con-
fusion, and darkn)B$g.***^Upon this supposi-
tion, God himself too; Inust 'be for ever
unhappy .;. for envy, and hatred, cruelty arid
malice, areas bqsti^k to the peaci^ of him
who harbours them, as* to the peace 'of those
who are - under his : donunion* A • mind
actuated by such dispositions miust resemble
a troubled sea : a destruqjcivc whirlwind : x
black and tempestuous sky ; — and a Deity
of this description must bexoptinually mi-
serable, and for his own sake, must change

his nature, if he possibly could * But

how diflPcrent is the nature of the glttrious

^ •. ;l£^it w^r^^^gj:|8aiblf for ,Pei^i^Q>,bc cxpo^oi tc^.^p^

te might; weil^j^\ • ;^ , ^,^ .^^..Z . . ,. ^, ,„ ^:. .^

^tefnum nostros fuctus epeUndit m £vum» * .PT.I?' -i

7t ThtGtHfdne!^ qf G&4,

Being tfi^lKmi wc adore tHfc is possest of
infinite, petf ection^ and is ever employing
it for ^e /benefit of ids ofl&|»ring. He is
fttemaliy happy in himself, and has no itl^
terest separate from that of his creatures.
^ He is good tp all, and his tender mercies

^ are ovet* ail his works** *

"* ■ , " • • ^

FfNAL%r^ tht goodness bf God appears
from ccmsidering the numberless efilecta of
it wfakh obtain imong his works. It it
I^easmg to thi^k that the comfortable con**
bhtsioii which we have now drawn, from
reflecting upon the iodepebdent and per<«
feet N^ure of the Supreme, is confirmed
by ponitanc observation and experience.
Throughout ' the whoie extent of the uni>^
Terte, and among ali the various classes of
its inhabitants, t^ere are to be found count*
ksd traces of the Divine Beneficence. And

♦ The argitfnffii nQw stated. However correct in itaelfi

mtij^ I am afraid, prove rather harsh and offensive to some

pious persons, from the suppositions which k involves. But

let it be duly considered by such, that in conducting the

*8^*teeht, t*e»el «uppo8&itoi* ^eenred re^ils^fc, and were

made metcly for the sake of establishing iilie' of the most

important and co»solatOf^iililitll»tlHit ((iii\<l'^Uveye4 tQ the
liui6tii toind. . . . t*' vxu^v . V;. '

Th€ O0odnm6f Odd. 73

what aft amazing and delightful prospect
here ppens to our vitfw ! — The vast~ crea^
tion made, upim the whole, a seat <^ bless !
*-^Worlds, which no man can number^
all stored with sources of happiness : alt
created and continually preserved and
blessed by infinite Goodness l-^But we
must descend from this lofty contempla-
tion, which so far transcends our present
£iculties. Let us rather Sx our thoughtsr
on this lower world in which we dwell,
and with which we are^ consequently^ more
funilian Planned by unerring wisdom,
and executed widi immitabk skill, the con-'
templation of it is admirably fitted to af^
ford to eTery rational mind the purest in^
cdlectuai ^oyn^nt Not only is it stu-
pendous in its ma^tude, ^and divinely
excellent in its structure : it is also re^
plenished with innvimerable living crea^
turea, all ^ which are useful in their
functions, exactly fit the places which they
fiU, and completely answer the purposes
for which they Were fefttehded. They aB
possess suitable powers and facultie$ ; ti^stef

of the exuberant goodness of Heaven j and
in their difiereht ways, manifestly disco-
ver si^ns of happiness. God graciously

74 The GoodneSs of God.

maketh his sun to^^Mncnpon thcm j
and continuaUyJe^^ and ch»

rishesjEEe m> ^ pHe giyethu to all life, and

* breath, and all thiogs.-r- He causeth the

< grass to grow for cattle, and herbs for
^ the service of . ixxanv-trHe giveth to the

* beast his food, and to the young ravens

* which cry. The earth is. full of his riches,

* ,so i$ the great and wide kea, wherein are
V cteatures innumerable. , . These all wait

< upon Him, that He may; give them their

* meat; in due season. , That which Hjjpt
V giveth them they gather: He openetb
*.,hi^ hand :/. they ate filled with good.'*-~
But here let us lattend particularly toMA n,
the most e3^alted of all the works of God in
this world. We are, indeed, monuments
of nis peculiar ^goodness. Every part of
our nature, and, eyery circumstance of our
C994ition, afford demonstration of. this.
How, wonderfully ar^^j^sjEagde i / JOow.

* noblsjn re ason ! Hpw i infinite ,in facuiU

l>*^'**^^^^^^^'*~'^«'>nw«wr~r'~*"'"i*'~T"~' ~*' III! » n , > »i m ill »» n .i» i*i» n_.^ ^i ini i» i i». ll l I ' ^ ii

jesT^ We hjav^ pund?-fhAtx:aaexplpi]i^fii
the mysteries of na|:ure : wander delighted^
thrpugh eternity ; .^laim ^ kindred with an^i^

— ■. .^ . „ . ,

• '•-»> 1 1 i : •> ^ . I , <r- . . ^ / ■ - ■ -"■ '

The Geedm^i^ofGod.

gj.el%( ;ai^4 cTep: ta^te^.in some degrpe, of
tbei pleasuiH^-pf the fDeity. We arc blessed

^i^SiaSk thejjath

o Cj^J[^oi<ft i^. cleariy shewn us ; the lawjof

^r fl M in8cnt>^ upon o ur hearts —

[fiiy way f?^vQvitable to our interests,

and frien<ily,tG Wr WpinBss--corfe8pond.

ing to the just dictates of the mind, and
Qop$uJ[jtii\gijEhe:1?^s^ affections qf . tl)e heart*
We; afe grasiqusly-invked to- hear. and obey;
it^/y( ^] | qe j andlf^^e^ so^ gr.eat i$^ pur re-
war4*; .^Wffh iaQ;&pres6ible. gra^t^^ude, we
^lyQy i^^ prcisejit;, ra94.loqk for^ar4/tp the
futurier.wit^ confidence ^and hop?, 5jf.i^9*
wUU exuHauon and triumph.

AK]>,i|(;hi)e Qod hath (:hus crea^4. us, he
liJ<:ewipetigo iatinually preserv es ws.. Wjjhsm;
^^,yq;f?fi^^ QPt %€ a gjg^moment,
T Q.j]^g|^jy6iar9liji4€^tf>4foTcycry^by!K>,thwe
d;;aiE.^f9fHe»eiyi8l;gp^ygtake ,faB^(y:eyery
t hought we^^hiok ;r^for: f^vj 4eli,YBraoc6
we; J|r^?i,yp Tg^jeivcfi. , fof, jeyej-y ;hop4, jwe j %{«J

I
;

t6 The Gdodnm §f God J

ddmMtie love* Wc arc never forgottect tf
neglected amidst the immensity of^ lii»
workft. He keepd us as the anple df his eye.

^^I~' I uplift 11 " 'HfT lim II I W -..^»*..A— - ^ ^ _....,..^^ .f»^M 9

and the very hairs of our head are num<^
bered. Under his government, all things^
whether apparently prosperous or a4verse i
whether joyous or grievous, are OMMiiitiai'^
ly working together for our good.

Bur atrave' all things, God hath blest ua
with the well authendciated and glad tid-
ings of his gospel Wheti we had rebelled
agaiiifit himf^ forfeited every claim to his
favour /and subjected oiiTsetves to misery and
rain, he did not indict the merited punish-
ment ; but sent Jesus Christ into the world,
to redeem us from all iniquity ; to bring
us back to the knowledge and practice of
our duty : to destroy the power of deaths-
an d open to us the gatfes of etern al life.^..
^ Hcreii^ is 16 ve, not tliat wTlov^^^
^.but A« he loved us, and sent his Son to>
* be the propitiation for otir sins !'— sent
him tb (enlighten and purify our minds ;^
to absolve us from the suifermgs of guik,^
and lead, us to the erijoyineiit of itttdles*^
happiness. When I think of ikt felessiai'
J\esus, thtia liuml>linl^ himself ; beeomiAg' n^

27iu Gooineu of God. 77

mxDLj Qfr sorrows^ mfimog and d^pbig on
.th« gf^sj^jfor our itake, and riamg again
^m tj^. jiiead) to deyats us with the liye^
Ijh^^ foi ;a gloriom immortalitj :-r-this
§Qi»tmce9 mc teii thousand times more
^x^Mk the metaphysics of the sdiools^
or; d3£ spoculauons of philosophers, that
£rod is goodv and will with-hold no good
thing ; from: any o£ those who seek and
icryci^im*:

TttB InducdoQ of these particulars af-
fords it proof of this all^mportant truths
the iotiMt plain and convincing possible, to
every rational and candid inquirer ; for it
)kSLS never been disputed, that the best me*
thod of reasoning upon subjects of this
land, is to argue from the efiect to the
cause, and to ludire of thenature of the

cause ^QjEDidie qualities which ]beIon£ to
t he j^Ssct . . Thus when wennd a tree imi«
farmly brining forth had fruit, we natur-
^ttiy copclnde tl^iat idt is a bad tree : on the
<»ntrary, when we £nd a t;ree uniformly
hcinging forth good fruit, we as naturally
conclude that it is a good tree. And when
we behold a man u niformly leading a bad
life, we naturally conclude that he is a

is The Goodne$9(f God

bad man: on the cbhtrary^ ^W lLfin-wef^bg ^
[ hold a mjin leading -a gdodJMS^^^e na^
j t urally conclude that be is t gij ^g:43^^ fflftft^
Now^ in like mann^^ i' when i^'wcf'^tbli-i-
template the unparalleled' ^xcelleiiceu^f the
creation, the laultiplied jgifts of iproJ^Jd^ncel
and the unspeakable blessings o^red^hip^
tion^ can we doubt, fori a xdwcnent^ that
Le, who is the glorious Author of tHe
whole, is a Being who takes pleasure in
the exercise of mercy and compassion, and
rejoices to do every thing that is possible^
for the improvement and felicity of his
offspring i Can there be a more strikix^
«uid perfect demonstration of the goodness

of God ! And if God is good at all^

lie must be infinitely good. If he were not
so« then his goodness might be susceptible
of improvement : it might have been greater
that it is\ and, consequently, must have
had some limiting cause that restricted it
to what it really is. But as God has no
cause, and is self-existent, he can, there^
fore^ have no limitation. All his attri#-
butes, and his goodness among the rest,
must partake of the infinitude of his na*-

ture.

; . i

The Goddness of God. 79

, . But here it may be said, is there not
wH in the world as well as good ? Whence
come poverty and distress, disappointments
ll^d losses,' sin ; and misery, disease and
dicath? How cain these exist under the go-
vernment of a perfectly good God^ * ,

* The question concerning the ocigiii' of evO, has, froiii
the earliest times; called the attention of ^eculative mctu
Accordingly, various theories have been proposed for the
solution of it. The chief of these are the two following.

1. Th e doctrine of P re ^xisten6e » - '^

2. The doctrine of two origin al, independent, and oppo* \
site Principles.

Theadvocates for the first hypothesis (originally started
in Greece by the cliinierical Pgthagorgs) , hfiagxncd that inan« \
kind had existed ip a former state.f . that there they had been
guilty of moral delinquencies ; and that for these they had
been appointed to suffer in the present world.— But this isy
c^idently> mere conjecture : it is unsupported by any thing
like evidence. Besides, it only lihifts the difficulty a. little
farther back, instead of completely removing it, like the
Indian philosophy, which^ in accQUAting for the support of
the earth, supposes that it rests upon a vast Elephant, the
■Elephant upon a Tortoise, and tht» prudently drops all fur-
ther inquiry.

,The advocates for the second hypothesis, iqaagining that
there are two co^etemal and independent Principles, repre-
«ent the one as direptly opposite to the other : tl^e one as the
jiuthor of all the good, and the other as the author of all the
jcvil in the universe.— -—But this system, held by the an-
cient Persian AhilosopherSj^nd by the Marcionites and Ma^
sicheans of later ages, is as palpably absurd^ as it is grossly iixv*

80 The Goodmi^ (if (hi*

This objectionhat be^n oft«nbroughtfi>r«»
ward by the eoemies of religion, with great
confidence, and even vaunte4 of M insu-
perable. It is almost as old as the aim an4
the moon : it has been made, and repeated
over and over ; vi4 the weakness of the
opposition which it has frequently met
with, has given it the appearance of being
jtruly formidable, I trust, however, that
the joint force of the following observa*
tions will be fpund, by every rational a^d
candid inquirer, fully sufficient to e£fect
-its complete removal.

ILet us r?i»«mbcr, ^//, that the good^

ness of God has been already proved,
and th^t ail the evil existing in the world
must be per£sctly cQUsistent with it^ wbop
ther we can perceive the consistency or

i^B"

pious. Upon th<e Iq^ioChcsts of two original and independ*
cnt Principles^ always acting in direct opposition, it is iiin
possible to conceive how either good or evil could have ex*
isted at all, since there is just as much wisdom and power oa
the one hand* to fnveni the effect^ as there is on t&e other
to fr^duce it.-~It is obTious, too, that this doctrine, (to men*
tion no other objection }, is totiAy irreconcilable with that

\ / great and glorious umi^ of design which is drcnrwhere coa^

\ \ apicttOtts an nature.

den€e\t)f iaa^,trutkj,)we are ^ur47 ^P^ *^
liberty todiacar4 ^/jcaerely^oav^punt of
pertain difficulties' atfeadijjgjltr^^^^
belieycf aotlux^ ^ aU,.if Vl^e did^i^ot believe
until' our ignoi»iK:p. of evtry .thing. con*
nected* with the: .subject of.out. belidf, en-
tirely vyanished*!^ In thi^^ csise we should
not;bcIieye eyeix m fi^* qwjql existence^ for
we^cisrtainiy h^vp AQt 9^ Complete .know-
ledge .of bur dwM qatuyre and ^oiipututipn.
Lethu feonsiderJtlte present, ilioijj^f^ictn and

jeCt/any'jart3yclo)^fjf9itb, &<]JeIy b^^i^f^ef we
caiipdtimakeit ^iUi^lharmoi^^ )^th;Bome
oxxcomitant ciroont^aAccid. A^ifecthar-
mbiiy'>] howeycc, aiiay sexist^'; t^4gh not
evident / to ouif : -^aki jundetr^tan^gSd I
makb'this rcniark iPQf>ishow :how pom
i#9 ithqngk 8oine, bhort-^sight^ nUNTt^ ttMiy
thinfaidie contraiy^ > ibr all j tbc : avU : «hat i$
in ^liie worldj ;bD 'be .per&otly/CQR^isteiit
withf cte perfect benevsdence of God. ^ ^

:"^ lo >-> .;'iv, ,';./u:«:j r r_; ]:- ■ :-: ,^..->

* v

' ^ISiEdh %sf co«ddlr 'oko^ .thaitithe «umi>f
evilM^tiie vt0rld,'^greM ' «s it iiB]jr(Bcem» is
cmakil^ ^ov^eil^b^ gpod., v.ih this

tsia^^e ykmht^iiid^ of tiie imtOfU^

82 The Goodness of God.

the Deity, not merely by «smt things whick
we occasionally see or itt\ but by wlu^
upon the whole, is prevalent in his wtorls^;
and if happiness is prevalent, we should
tmqu^stionably infer that God is benevd-
lent. Now that happiness does prJevail,
must be evident to every attentive observer.
Though many individuals of every .class
around us suffer pain, smd groan beneath
the pressure of calamity,' yet most of them
have toleriable health, and various ' other
sources of enjoyment. Iti& beyond a. doubt
that the inferior animals feel happy/indieir
'existence. ^ The insect youth are on the
^ wing:' the careless flocks graze with plea-
sure upon their * green pastures.' The
playful birds sport through the pathles3
air, and ^ sing among the branches/^— .
Observe too the children of men, and C(m«
sider how far, in general, their happiness
preponderates their misery* For one that
is Confined to a bed of sicknessTtEere are
JL^ \ thousands who are able to pertSFm, wifii
comfort, all the ordinary offices of life.
*OT one that has n ot bread to ea^ mere,
are^Jbffl^sands who are suppli ed , with ..aJl
the necessary means'^ subsistence; For
one tbat is/wretched afid tniserable, an4 has

"■^- — "^ ' ' "^" ■'»^. • ' • .

The Goodness of God. 83

botb wearisome days and niehts appointed
to him, there are thousands who live in
easy; circums tances, dwell under the roof^
of security, exercise thej r affections i^soh
cial u nions , and after performing their daily
t asks, slee p s weetly on the j^low o f pe ace.
Nay, if the whole histories of the indivi-
duals who are in real distress, were fairly
exhibited to our view, we should,*perhaps,
find scarcely any of them, in which there
were not far more pleasant than painful
passages; far more tranquillity than trouble,
cheerfulness than depression,^ joy than suf-
feriiig- And, recollect too, that there may
be joy even in suffering, and indescribable
tranquillity even in the greatest trouble.
fWe know, that * a t>lessed hope' may ani-
mate the just, even amid the pangs of dis-
solution— J think, that I am hot hazard-
ing too much when I venture to affirm, that
the quantity, not only of natural, but even
of moral evil in the world, is often extra-
vagantly magnified by sour and melancholy
declaimers. If their sentiments were just,
the world would, not be a fit place for men
&:> desire to live in; and yet, bad a$..the
world is, pien gexxerally wish to c^mtinue
in it, and decidedly prefer existence to non-

V 2

84 The Goodness of God.

existence. The truth is, these sour and
melancholy declaimers have not sufficient
dompwhension of mind. They dwell on-
ly on the dark side of the picture : they
fix their eyes upon whatever seems to them
gloomy and deformed, and turn away from
all that lA fair and beaiitifuL In a world
replenished with goodness, they ^ brood
merely rfpon eviL But calm, just, and er*
tensive observation of things'; of theit
causes, circumstances, and ultimate •conse'^
x^uences, would correct this unhaj^y bias |
would brighten to us the appearance of
life, and thin that cloud of sin ahd misery
which is too apt to look thicker than it is^
and to obscure and overcast our view of
the Divine benevolent c. Our (jonviction,
in this case, would doubtless be :; — ^that by
every creature God should be -adored and
loved; t hat undfer his government all is
well;:and that existing evIT miist, at ode
period Or another, terminate in good.*

* To^ dbew us that the quantity even of moral evil in tjie
characters of men is not so great as has l^een often represent*
cd, the'aciit6 ahd elegaftt Profe ssor Stetyart /h as, with gfcat
pr<^/icty, called ou!r attentfoi to iJkt folhwing particulars;.*-
« Cormpted as marikind are,* sayi lie, * tl^c. propordon of
* human life which is spent in vii^e, is inconsiderable whe

« compan

The Goodnesi of God. 85

BtJT here, I would likewise remark, that
the total prevention) of evil in the worlds ia
perhaps one of those. things which arc ab-
solutely, impossible, and that therefore its
existence cajinot be justly considered as in-
consistent with the goodness of the Creator.
^Very rational beings in the universe, ex-
cept the»Cireator, must necessarily be fal-
lij)te, or^ in-other words, liable to err, con-
a^ueoitly ^able to coiomit sin, and to en«
dure 9ufl^rf«ig* For if any being * except
the 6uprc?9pe.were infallible, absolutely ^ in-
(T^p^ble :of prror,. he would be oinnlsbiea^t i
zn^Af he' wcre^ strictly speaking,' dinnii
syQicht ; if- he knew ; perfectly and - at ^ all
tim^s, the whole circle of -being; knew per-

.»■-.•■■/ ■»••■

* cbmparedf with the whole of its extent. — History itself, is

* i'pijpof <X tTifet fof the events^ Which it, records are chiefly
< thp9e.w]rich arCttlttoliUd,! Irf^ their singrularityi to «n^g«
' t;hc curipsi(y» ,^1^4 to interjeflt thep^ssiooa o^ ^:Tf!^^^rr

* In compuVng, be8i4e8, the nj9ral demerit of m9n)|i|id. from
*' thbtr- cxtcthah'actions, a lirg^ allowance ought to'te naa3c

* for rrhweoiurifsecttlative opM2d6t \{tiiti?X%i^ioict^a^t^

f £^ ; ^of Jf{$ty4f^®.' ^'^^PV^ J^it^.iqSi^efice of ptet^fliBg

* manners; and for habits contracted -ii}9eQ9iblT. io, cady m-
^ fancyi^ ' Sft Uuf&ies of' Mora PUlostfhyy page 2l8.j-^Did

shpidd Ap4(jjis«^ «M^;^f 9m|i od^ilRj tHe)¥filiiii;By ^

means ^Ji^y^Ml^f^}^^ S^

merdy by dupCTnaaly*hasty9 and ymgar calculauon.

F 3

86 The Goodness^ of God.

fectly and at all times all the objects which
it contains; all their essences, propcrtiw,
relations, and uses : if he knew every mo^
ment all their various movements and in-
describable circumstances: — ^if, I say, he
Were thus, strictly speaiing^ omniscient, we
could scarcely conceive of him but as also
omnipresent ; and if both omniscient axul
omnipresent, he would possess incommiii
xiicable attributes which belong solely, to
God: the creature, we may say^ would be-
come the Creator. But to suppose thiS|
would be supposing something, which^ to
say the least of it; is almost, if not alto^
gether, a direct contradiction. — And hcite
we should recollect that the necessity df
some degree of evil in the world, is by no
means derogatory to infinite power. Infi*
nite power extends only to whatever is p05«
sible. For instance, even infinite power, can-
not make a thing, at the same time, both tQ
exist and not %q exi^t j to be both imper-*
fec^ and perfect j both finite and infinite.
And for the same reason, it would appear
that even infinite power cannot make a
creature absolutely infallible — absolutely
incapable of etror and liableness to suffer-^
irig. Is titiete kigliaai who pretends to digit

Tk6 Ctoodness of God^ 57

belieTev'this ? If 6uch a one there, be, he
pnetenda to b^UeTerthat infinite povirer. can
effiict conthuUctions : axKl his belief, instead
of jibing; honour to this powef^f tends ra^
tkeciortdturn Jt Into ridicule- . ■ iContradic^
tKms:at^ no proper; objects^ of power, and
k :ia th^efojre xiq, duninittlpn of omnlpo^
isnce to.affirm^ th&t even pnmi|K>tence it^
firif cieiiQt effect V them.

V'-.. • V".

But here it m^y be iirged, tl^at though
9omindegree of evil must be in the creation,
yetlhight not ft niuch smaller portion of
it have fallen to Qur share ? Might we not
haie been formed jwith much greater moral
powers, and with iq^uch less chance of be-
ing-subjected to aufieri|ig ?

Now, tp this it may very properly be
replied, that there is no end to such pre-
sumptuous questions; for upon the same
general principle^ it may be asked, why
wete not the inferior animals made equal
to. man ?r— ai^ why was not man m^de
equal, to the apgels ?— ^why was there any
subordination or imperfection in the miL
verse ? — ^why was there any finite being at
all? — w:hy were nqtaU beings .made in-

^ tht Xiwdned 4>/ Odd,

finite: 6r^ in other words ^ why did thawf
not exist' palpable abAurditie^f absoiiite/iaoi^

possibilities ? Amotig the works xaf jQcId

it seems nefccssary thltt>thifcre shouldMiae ia?
Certain gridation. The^iUferior^rdferftieoA
necessary for the sttfesistaice; or diet^iiiiM
proveiheht of the superlot- '; nay^ iMcts$kr^.
to the wieKare of the whdle sifritcini; Fo»
ought we know to thc^idfetraft-yyifcObordin
nation of ranks may serve equally good
purposes in the " go vc¥rifftent of < ^therilhi-
vcrise, as' it does in civil govemmexkt among
men. -W« know its uses^^in €dinmqhiife'{
we see It- ^ablished in the system io£ the
universe ; arid we may 'safely conclude, that
it is not without wise'aiid good incenti<9n
in the one, more than in the other. — iAti
any rate, had there been no such gradation^
no inequalities among creatures, tiien^ne
of the npbl6^t species of action could neyor
have existed. - There could have been ^f^t
exailiple) no room for beneficence ; no pos-i
sibility of gratifying ^e-'tSesire of dding
good ; no opportunity of ' ^xiercising virtt^
i^ one of its highest and most glorioiis icb^
stances. The most worthy and geriierous
principlfes of our nature must have lain for
ever' dofniant aqid 'uselfess.^^There Triu«t

tjien be a cert^^ degr«e.!gf |;^ in, the world j^
^d .if this de^r^e of ^xil^ ^'p.^i'^m.

istigg evil csL^ilprm no prepj^.objectioa tp
t^c;^ben^ficence;.of God, be.cai}§(^,t]bie.ciea^'
e^i^ss of. .his f^o^pj^^nt: ahoyjc. his s^^^t
m> iS».;to ,everjr;.^ndiy?,dual, sp; much^^^r^

/. IfPANW;?^:Hyf :^JP.»« of ^Wy.^^jqcj
l^ithoiu; ; reaj^king , that ^.e ve;i ^he, e Vflf ^f
which maaj^are too apt Co ^.cojnplaip, ar$
themselves .. so. joveriTiJied.^ji to. become the
mpfius offp^d^9i^g|real an^.uluifxate ^<>p4f
Ta be satisf^^ of tleusj^ wejieed.oxily ha^
recourse tp the few following ffunxl^x iut
stances. — ^The unpleasant sg^^tiott of hjug-
ger^. is NamreVfricndly ca^t^ ^o.,^j^9
our necessary food^-H-t^a^ ^<^dits cqa?
sequent ; fati^e^ .are. evid^iftjly producplye
of a thousand .Jblessings.^rprThe iiiost. acute
pOiiH admoniabes.us .tQ^avoid ev^rylJuPg
that may .produce a x^otition of it,!.9J^4
in^esusdoublyanxious to prp^cijuie plea&ui;^
Disease .and sickness have adixect .te;aden-
Huy to produce, in us thpse heavjeply grace^— :
hvunility^ reidgnation, and.pa)ieiice»..«JRe

SfO The Goodness of Goi. '

Aipr^'e itself, fHii '^atcstr evil which any
Efexban heih^ c^ ' WufFer, 'directly tends ttt
^ikc ^8 abnbf^its abominable canse^ td
Kafif^dtfe to^ttpfiht^nce and- aihdioratiofri of
life.-::-In ' ^nJeiekl, tKi' diia^eeable evens'
ife^; ' trotibles to which "^c'ztt - exposed,'
sfefenr ^U atopdiifted to Weait -as from an im-^
m^i^te loVe of thii^ world '; to raise oiltf
hopes and desires to better objects ; tosdfts^
en pur hearts for the reception of the bless-
ed iifibttitrtig of humanitj^, condescension,
md')fitfi to prevent or reitobvie that tjar-*-
JoWi^selfiiliV 'ahd uncompassionate dispio-
i^tlon, whictf but too often attends th€
|)erfect erijoyinent of health, and the full
Sow of prosperity— -Were we, at all times,
able to view biir sufferings in their inti*
inate connection with our enjoyments;
were we able to view the former as having
a direct and natural tendency to produce
and increase the latter, we should wholly
lose sight of our sufferings in the con-
templation of their final and glorious con-p
sequences. Had we such comprehension
pf mind, (and the human race seem evi-
dently advancing towards it), we should
constantly be able so perfectly to conneet
iind compare our pleasures with our pains.

The Goodness of God^ ^l

a$ to be affected oiily^^ by die pdtt d^ieiw
plus of the formeri: il^ow,.^n4lMilMe^
God lias this vperfect'^omprehe&isidti-: he
sees at oneviewjbothpiiiebegimxb)^
end j both all causes^ «aofd aiU diexriemocc^e
effects, before hisieye oil real <Til ^atuAi^
cs. i Aniong M^ ihfinitb iprorks, hselMAMldii
nothifig hut anmixdd^fBSidetemdJ^^

• • r - r I

I • . ■ ■ ■ •'^' r ■^- 1 i.>ii^ ' :

But notwithstanding all that has been
ftdvancied, there niay be some, .who Will
still pcartinaciously^ adduce^ as an <ibjectioii
to the Divine goodness, the doctrine ^f fu-
ture punishments as revealed in the Gospel.
This objection has been o£ten stated, and,
I am sorry to say, has often received addi<

M 'I 1 ■ ■ " *■

^ Upon tliis labjecty the i^eader* will find «onM^ excelleat'
Tem?rk6 in HAarifEy'? Oi^^ZKYAJtoifis on MAN.-*-Ia that
work there ar^ manyspeculations.wbicb I think are extreme^
fanciful ; but, upon the wholc> it is certainly an invaduab^
performance, and cannot be too carefully perosed by the tc^
Jigious philoBoj>hert

-Hartley ! — ^He of mortal kind

_ . ■

Wisett ; he first who mark!d the ideal tritiet

y^ the fine fibres thro' the tentient brain*

^ TJm Gffodnm of Go*

UQfh^ stTiefigth f robi" tflaNi) ni^ injudiciouft
andjieiMtisf^ yfrbich have been

mitd^£t»%i(ti)/for^:!«rkea in^^ is ill

«ll9^iBH%4^ ^^ ^i'^ rItnrliKstfume the appear-*
WM»ia(jbwxgj ihoaabivfniile. !; But I think
tlibfrfih/c Iwhdjb'jftiice {of^tAis-.^objic^^ so
ft«i|iiMftl!)riai)d sam^ nrged^ may

be f3>te[deixiy deitroyM^'by die foUoWitig.
observations, wMehiriqqrBqnded both on
natural and revealed religion.

.,1 < J . - .

[[iftECdxxiSCT' that theimure ]^oidiment^
cf tJMj^Btocked^. ^isrbatever they: may: fo% are
a> jiet 'J to a?us unknown. ^ The Scriptures
liauaD^ :deBcribe..:theni fin figurative iaii*
gtaage^^^ Kidiich, o£ course, must be some-
whkt dbscure andlamlMguous, and of the
same nature with the language of prophe-
cy ,'^V7hich" Is never fuHy understood till the
ey«At . expl^ias ij:.,/.,)/Ke- musit^ therefore,
wait zfor the eventf'bcfwe^we can form any
jiist judgment 6f ja''fdtaf6 9tate of j)upish^
mQiit.^ jTjll then,^^ ^ iqlycc^tioxi^ . to the
goodness of God, raised upon this gnyurid,
must appear to ever^ yoflecting .^nd judici-
ous miadiftUnreasAttablp,: and as? ^ubh be
totally reject)dd.Lii;Of the state of futikfe re-
wards f it is said Dy an inspired writer,

Whd (S^jMbihi^^pGML m

that h\Jiahnoi'^H'>aMaa!f-ymlmtii$'tUioie.
Now, the lasne hoMfirftme df IflienokaMiof

what if shaU bcL^ ::iSixti of tfaisi/vodQiimf'all
be cercaih) thatitst caJbinkkyv^^iiinf e^ le
it8 exceni:, ^cannot bcf:-greattc :diaDi]Bd^
^er&ctiy ' consisteat ^ith the^adchis tivat-
racter bftheSupre]iKBeinikg,'^|nd.lb8^^
9«resliary to Mfiu^asm ttie ^rder; ind, pr^
mot6^ the «iids of iiik^ benevoknt '^renir

Hient. . ■" ; ■ v:>v/;'^j , :'ir/;- "ir.^ 7!^^!; i>ii/i

what I hive meritioii«dbeft>ffcV i^«^'ii>I<ifd,
dirdct, unid j»6stttVe-j*ot^'hkvebetii*fre«cl^
gJvcn WF the goodAdSs^ bf God f k^dP^ititlt,
^yr^fbTcf^sucKstO: iintlehiieLble ii¥>ath,^Meft6lb
lie tairi^uishttd tAirdyxiii ^aHM of ckf ^
•diffiailHtes/* '^iffo'^air'^eiwaher^' >ipy*V'bttg*^
TJithet • td ' corid^ae thaif-iill ffiMaiftii«-«liE"
this -laia- are^onfy i^^jkrtht/'flof "¥feia7 a^A
tiiat^^ey ' iv^ki tittiii^KigAttfeft^ h&d [ijfe
^ ihiord' rnlarged^^bS* iJofft^hftMiYe ^c^

•!•■ .'i-i •!,'. ^ . :■••>;, J. >j f'.;7:;.ii .•:;f.jjjiv.rr>

' 'R«^il«^^; ^^to6j> -^^at'> itltfk^il^^sfa;'
mefnt^ ik*^t to i>€^><:(AiM.et^ a»3^i-'ity-
'flfctioiilo^toere ai*ift*t/piW<rer bhtas t

94 The Gooehm of God,

necessary CDiiseqtiesfc;^ of the predeixt con<^
ttdtatton; of the universe ; for siich is. the
bakfol nature of vince,tiidt it must occa*
sion sufl&ring : it must derange axid mar
aB the. pcmnei;s 6f:d[ie mind^ and prevent
die enjoyflbent . of- those many pure un*-
^peaksble pleasures^ vwhich are the natural
and peculiar prodm^e of vtrtue. All those^
dien^i who are to be condenmed, shall reap
only the proper fruit of their own doings :
and their sufferings, however pungent ^ and
however long, cannot possibly be greater
than what is perfectly consistent with infinite
goodness, directed, by xnfipite wisdom.*-^
God has been always good; he shews hini;^
self td^be good sdll ; and we are, tlierefore»
hoiji9d».,fix>m the: immutability of his nature^
CO infer,, that to every creature his good^
neas will continue, in some way or pther,
iiencefbrdi and for evermore. According-
ly, we are led to believe, that at die last
day, when judgment shall be pronounced,
• every mouth shall be stopped." — Stopped
not by outward violence ; but by inward
conviction. Heaven and earth ; all ration-
al beings shall assent to the equity of the
sentence, and see it ta be perfectly neces-
sary to preserve the order, ^d promote

The Goodnm ofGod^ 9S

tihe felicity of the univeF^^^*:^ thou tt/^
Bal God, how g^eat is thy ^oodaess t Thoyi
art good evcil when thcHi afflictest. T)iy
goodness, like thyself, h from eveil^Alr
ing to everlasting ! /; ;_ -

Such is the nature of the Divine good;-
3ies8, and such the evidence, which we }iave
for believing in it. Let us now then con-
sider some of the important conclusions
which most naturally follow from this tru-
ly pleasing and profitable subject. — ^Ifhese
conclusions respect either ihe other moral
attributes of Qod,-~or that temper .and
practice, which become us^ his rational
Gfl&pring.

1. L£T US consider those conclusioxxs
which we shpuld draw from this subject,
concerning the other MOHAt ATTRiB9Tiis
OF THE DEITY. — ^They may all be viewed
as so many difierent modifications of his
Goodness. — What, for instance, is his Mer^
cy ? — It is 'his inva^able disposition to
commisserjate and relieve the wretched and
guilty ; to, sppply their wants ; to heal
their diseases ; ;o alleviate their pains,^ and

^ itheyGnkMnesi of Qhd.

^vtr'^'mi bahii'i^''c(msolat urn into their
H^oubdted-qp^ :^iWhat, agam, is his Jus-
til:^ ?-uTt is his ixtftl determination to dis<-
•pfietafec to wf Whaitteve^ is «ght; to withhold
from us nothing that is pt&ptt for our im-
provement and felicity ; and if, in this view,
''tftti putiishnient is liiecessary, to inflict it
Upon tis, howefver- ifeeadful in degree^ or
fio^^vcver lasting in <iuration. And whitt
is his Holiness ?— ^Itis hiW utter aversion to
sin ; because it is productive of die misciy
't)f his creatures, and his supreme love of
'titetftude } because 4t is neiCe^arily produc-
HiW W their hiaj^pkaess. In short, trhit* is
that -which islisuialLy called his^Glory ? Is
it not that constant exercise of hi$ attri-
butes which is displayed in producing the
'pferfectibn of his w6rks ? And' how: can he
'^oduce the pS^rfectionc^rafaonal beings,
^kRoiit, at the same time, prbducing their
TJIiffi future^ and eternal Advantage ?-^

"^Hfe who holds a tliflFerent laixguage is, in
^this respect; foolish ; he speaks Without
Ttnbwledge t titters words witliotit toinexiag
"to" them any 'precise and accurate ideas.
; It feeems then UnqtiestionaMy trtie, that the
Mercy, and Justice, and Holiiiess j and Glorjr ^

7%e Goodness of God. 07

of Grod arc nothing but so many different
modifications of his infinite goodness.*

i. But let us consider the conclusions
%rliich we i&ould here draw, in regard to
oursel^e&i

The goodness of God should certainly
excite in us the warmest gratitude and
PRAISE. This is a generous sentiment,
which might well be expected, from the very
constitution of our nature, to rise spontan^

■r

♦ To this view of the motsl attributes of Deity, tho
following objection has been made by a learned and respect*
able ftiend.-^* I doubt,' says he, * the propriety of reducing
< afl the divine attributes to one. At the same time such

* reduction is evidently possible'^ but it may be made with as

* much ptopriety into any one of them^ as into any other*

* No moral perfection can be possessedf in an infinite de-
^ gree, without involving the possession of each of the

* rest.'— Bui notwithstanding my great deference for this
authority» I do not feel the force of the objection. My rea-
son for resolving the moral attributes of the Divine Nature
into goodness rather than into any of the rest, is, that I can-
not conceite liow the great, independent, and infinitely gra-
cious Fath^ of his creatures^ could have had any other pru
fnary object in bringing them into existence, than the communis
cation of happiness. I am thus, therefore, naturally, and I
think justly, led to consider the exercise of all the other moral
attributes as subservient to the pUrpQSfs of goodness.

- G

98 The Goodness of God.

cously in every one of us. We seem fonu-
ed to be grateful even to our fellow-crca-
J tures j when they confer upon us unexpect-
ed and unmerited favours. We praise
them and delight to hear others praise
them. We feel desirous to possess their
beneficent temper ; to emulate their excel-
lent deeds ; and to hold them up as the or^
naments of their species* What acknowledg-
ments then are due to him who. is the
great iiniversal Benefactor : the original
Author of all happiness : to whose bounty
we ourselves owe our being, all the enjoy-
ments we possess, and all the glorious hopes
me may entertain ! Surely, our utmost
gratitude, and most exalted praises, are far
beneath what is due to such an infinitely
munificent Being. With minds then full of
religious sensibility, and impatient to pour
out their feelings, we should, like the de-
vout Psalmist, not only express our own
gratitude ; but also invite the gratitude of
all nations to the God of all the earth. —

* Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye

* lands, serve the Lord with gladness:

* come before his prefence with singing.
' Know ye that the Lord he is God : it is
' he that hath made us^ and not we our-

The Goodness of God. 99

^ sdves : we are his people, and the sheep
^ of his pasture. Enter into his gates
* with thanksgiving, and into his courts^
' with praise : be thankful unto him, and
^ hj^s his name/ *

Tkk goodness of God should likewise
lead us to put unlimited trust ik him.
Did blind fate, fickle fortune, or a relent--
less tyrant govern the world, we should
indeed have reason to be anxious, fearful,
dmiserable. But our God i» infinitely good,
and he presides over the universe, and tm-
der his government, therefore, every thing
may be expected to take place, which the
most benevolent mind can desire. Our
happiness depends upon him, and he is, at
all times, both able and willing to effect it.
Fully convinced of this, of what should we
be afraid ? Though the waves of trouble
should roll over vlBj though distresses of
every kind ehould assault us, our courage
need never fail ; and despair, that worst of
enemies, -may be completely repelled, even
in the most woful circumstances. Against

■■fcl^l^M I ■ ■ ' 1 ■ '

* Ptilm €•

G 2

100 The Goodness of God.

hope we may believe in hope, knowing that
our confidence is placed in one who is doubt-
iless our almighty Friend, onr all-merciful
Father. What imneceissarylJevil have we to
dread from him ? How safe are all ouf in-
terests in his hands ! And what that is truly
bene^pijaU may we not hope for tinder his
gracious administration ?-f*«-^ O taste, aad sec
^ that t^e. Lord id good :- bleated is the rtiiA
] that trusteth in him!' • . » a-.

But the goodness of God should not onlytl
^11 usi with gratitude and/praisej and inspire
us^w^th unsuspecting cpnfidence ; it should
also ];edd us to pdace it continually before
us; as Tifz M0J>EL of. our conduct. Is
goodjaesKs the gloty of the Supreme Bcfingv
aj^d daes it add a.kiatK tb all his other per^*
fect^ont I Then even in the inferior degree
o£ .which his rational creaturei are '• capable
^ itv it must conscitu^;the' highest €xcek
leneq q£ th^eir aatiire^-Is God go6d unto lall,
aQd are hii. te&der nbercics orer all his
w^J'ks^? Thenwe ougl^t evidently totdo good,
as We have opportunity,, to one another,
and to be merciful, as our Father in hea-
ven is merciful. It should doubtless be
our ambition to act in this Divine manner ;

The Goodness of God. 301

taemploy our feeble power in the asune way
that jGod employe hi$ almighty power. No
creature cau have a higher or more giori-
ous ambition. Let us then be ' imitators

* of God as dear children.' Let us be

* workers together with him/ in doing
whatever we can, for the comfort and hap-
piness of our brethren. Thus shall we an-
swer one of the great ends of our creation,
assimilate ourselves to higher orders of
beijags, and be qualified, at last, for mingl-
ing with them who are for ever receiving,
and for ever communicating joy in the
kingdom of heaven.

In fine, the goodness of God should
prompt us to uniform and unceasing obe-
Di£NC£. This, motive to obedience has
been strongly felt by the worthy in every
age, and was well adduced by Samuel to
the children of Israel, when he said to
them^r-^* Only fear the Lord, andserve him

* in i truth with all your heart, for consider

* what great things he hath done for yoii.'— -
What hath i he left: undone that was ne-
cessary fori the improvement and felicity
of his creatures ?-»-No words can fully
express, no mind can fully conceive the

108 The Gwdmsi Qf God.

extent of that goodness which he hath made
to pass before us. We are bound, there-
fore, by the strongest possible tie, for
ever to obey his laws ; to imitate his mo-
ral perfections j to rise from one degree of
excellence to another; to be, what he
would have us to be, * thoroughly fur-
^ nished unto all good works.' — How can
we loVe sin, which is so oflPensive to our
gracious Father, and so ruinous to our
own nature ? And how can we help lov-
ing holiness, which he so earnestly re*-
: ;^uires, in which he so much delights, and
which is so absolutely necessary both to
our present and future happiness ? — It is im-
possible, if we have any gratitude or in-
genuousness of mind. Let us then love
the Lord, and shew our love to be sincere,
by a zealous conformity to his will. Let
us abhor whatsoever he condemns, and
zealously * observe ^11 things whatsoever
^ he hath commanded us.' Let us pray
that he may keep us from every species of
wickedness, lead us always in the path of
duty, and consummate the display of his
infinite goodness, by thus making us meeC
for the mansions of immortal glory.

THB

PROVIDENCE OF GOD,

PSALM zevii, U

The Lord reignetk^ let the earth rejoice^

>T HOEVER is fully convinced of the ex-
istence of God, and of his glorious perfec-
tionsy will, of course, next inquire into die
nature of the relation in which such a Be-
ing stands towards his creatures. After
having xxiade them, does he take no farther
care of them ? Has he left them to blind
fate or undirected ch^ce ? Has he forsaken
the works of his own hands ? — ^Qr doe9 he
always graciously preserve, and keep, and
guide thero ?— This, is an important in-

104 Tlie Providence of God.

quiiy, which demands the serious atten-
tion of every reasonable being. I trust
that I shall now be able to make it satisfac-
torily appear, that He who created, con-
tinually sustains and governs the universe :
or, in other words, that He continually
exercises over it* and oyer all th^t it con-
tains, ' an infinitely wise and beneficent
Providence. — * The Lord reigneth, let the

* earth rejoice.'

The doctrine of Divine Providence, while
it is confessedly the immediate support of
all religion, is likewise the most consoling
and elevating subject of thought, that can
present itself to a sober and uncorrupted
mind. Upon the truth or falsehood of it»
all that is tnost important and dear to Ms
depends. Withoiit believing in it, every
diiiig around us mtikusstime a dreary and
mielanciioly aspect.^ We are, in: this case^
like orphans wandering ' without protector
or gtiide. We can hiveno proper know-
ledge, either of pur nature, or of our end.
The world appear^ a irast scerife of cfonfii-
sioh. ' All seems *" vaility aiidf Vexation of

* spirit/ The; ijriiSnerse has lo^t its regukt--
ing principle"; ^ rational "bcitlgs are do*

The Providence of God. 105

{Hrived <^ thjeur mo^t valuable prospects i
the support iQf the righteous is taken away,
and the hope of the aiflicted has periished*
But suppose the doctrine of Providence is
fully established, apd &:mly bdieyed in,
the virhole face of nature is changed ; con-
fusion and darkness vanish^ and order and
light divine spread everywhere around us.
^The Lord reigneth, and the inhabitants
* of the earth rejoice.' All things seem to
be ordered wisely and well. Partial evil
seems appointed for the general good, and
misery, a necessary part of the grand
scheme, which ha« for its object, the pro-
duc^iofi; of the greatest possible happiness.

e
. t

My present design therefore is, to ex-
plain and prove the doctrine of Divine
Providence.*— The discussion of this sub-
ject will undoubtedly suggest some highly
pleasiio^ and important reiSectiona.
• ' - ■ . * ■ ■

FiR^i, I shall expisEm, in a few sentences,
what I here mean by the Providence of
Gqd..^-.£y die Pcxbvidence of God, L mean
that idbastkiit exisrcise of hiis power^ and
wisdom;, and goodness, by which ail his
creacurev are preserved and governed s by

106 The Providence of God.

which the term of their existence is pre-
scribed, and the manner of their dissolu-
tion accomplished ; by which their num-
ber is, at different periods, nther fixed, or
multiplied, or diminished ; by which all
their circumstances are arranged, and all

thrir movements regulated In one word,

when I say that the whole creation is ever
under benevolent and right direction, I ex-
press the doctrine of Providence in its
highest and strictest sense.

In asserting this doctrine, we, by inevic-
able consequence, deny that any thing
takes place by chance or fate, or without
the knowledge and determination of God.
We maintain, that the universe is continu-
ally pervaded and actuated by Him, and
that all is under his immediate direction
and controuL We maintain, that, from
the beginning, He has so planned and con-
ducted the boundless system, and will al-
so, in future, so conduct it, as infallibly to
promote the most glorious end, and that,
in the meantime, every intermediate ope-
ration and effect must follow his will, and
execute his design. We maintain that the.
WOTld is not hke a vessel whose rudder is

The Providence of God. 107

broken, and whose pilot is gone, and
which is left to be driven about without
any order ; but that it is the vast engine
of the Almighty, having all its parts form-
ed and adjusted by his unerring skill ; all
its motions directed by his Supreme Intel-
ligence, and made finally to fulfil his gra-
cious purpose. We maintain that it is not
like a state whose ruler has abdicated the
throne, and left the jarring passions, and
capricious humours of his subjects, with-
out guidance or restraint ; but that it is an
immeasiu'able kingdom which never is, and
never can be, in confusion ; that the will
of its Sovereign can never be defeated by
man, or by any other creature ; and that
all its agents and fortunes, are so inces-
santly influenced as to be for ever harmon-
iously conspiring to produce the greatest
and happiest consummation. — ^ The Lord/
we say, ^ is a great God, and a great King
^ above all gods.— Let then the heavens be
^ glad, and let the earth rejoice, apd let
^ men say among the ns^tions, — ^The Lord
• reignethf

Having thus stated the doctrine of Di-
vine Pkx)vidence, let us now, in the second

108 The Providence of God.

PLACE, consider the evidence upon whidbi
our faith in this doctrine i$ founded. Thit
evidence is so obvious and convincing, a$
to require 'no long and elaborate illustra*
tion. — It sufEciently appears from the cory
sideration of the nature and perfections of
God,-~and of the existing constitution and
order of the universe.

It appears from the consideration of the
nature and perfections of God. Every one
who rationally believes in God, must also
beUeve that he is adorned with all possi-
ble excellence ; that he is everywhere pre-
sent, and possesses infinite power, and
wisdom, and goodness. NoW, if this is
the case, (and it is demonstrably evident),
there necessarily results the docrine of Pro?-
vidence. For it is inconceivable that when
God can most easily do every thing that
is advantageous to his creation, he will yet
abstain from doing any thing. Is it con*
ceivable, that when he can, without the
smallest difficulty, regulate the universal
system, he will yet regulate nothing ? Is
it conceivable, that what his boundless
power and wisdom always enable Jbim to
efiect, his infimte goodness will xiot incc^

The Providence of God. lOJI

sandy prompt him to accompHsli ? — ^Do his
perfections lie dormant ? Docs he possess
them as if he possessed them not ? Are they
riot rather in continual exercise ? And if
they are, they must be continually exercis-
ed on his creatures, for his own nature be-
ing absolutely perfect, they can have no
exercise on himself. The Deity cannot
then, be an indifferent spectator of any
part of the great series of events which
take placer either in this worlds or in any
other of the worlds wnicn he has made.
If he is always both able and willing to or-
der every thing for the best, such Divine
or|ier must always exist. — ^I am placed,
suppose, ill circumstances of great distress.
The omnipotent, all-wise, and gracious
Author of my existence, sees what I feel,
and it intimately, acquainted with die
whole of my case. And if my affliction
be, in the least degree, improper, will he
suffer it for a single moment ? — ^The
thought is absurd ; fdr it is in direct con-
tradiction to all my notions of his charac-
ter* Whatever his power and wisdom en-
able him to do, his infinite goodness will^
in every instance, infallibly lead him to do.

1 10 The Providence of Ood.

for my present and eternal benefit. • I'd
deny the Providence of God, is to den^
the perfection of his nature ; it is to deny
his unlimited power, imd wisdom, and
goodness, or, at least, the exercise of these
attributes Yor the advantage of his crea-
tures. — ^If he is perfect Reason, he must, in
every case, so govern the universe, as per-
fect Reason requires. He must so direa
and controul all occurrences, and all beings,
as to prevent any real confusion, or unne*
cessary evil from ever obtaining in his
works. — ^ The Lord reigneth, let the earth
* rejoice.* f

I NBED hardly i^emark here, that tlie
preceding reasoning satisfactorily proves,
what is commonly called a particular^ as
distinguished from what is called a general
Providence ; because the same reason which

* If a good man labour under poYcrty, sickness, or the
like, he shall find that vns tfysltv n r%Xsitntn$ tfim n »m^ mirtkk*
Mm : for how can he be neglected by God, who humbly and
^ncerely endeavours to be like him ? »lato.

t Si DEUS tiff mmubt ngitur ProwdefUia,-^inB a majuffl
admitted by all except the Epicureans. Accordingly! the
Epicureans have generally been considered as Atheists*

The Pr&vidence of God. Ill

influences God to exercise a Providence
over any thing, must influence him to ez«
ercise it over every thing. The universe is
a great and glorious whole, and this great
and glorious whole cannot be rightly pro-»
served and governed, without the right pre-
servation and government of all, even its
minutest parts. Nothing, I think, can be
more certain, than that to whatever extent
any individual being or event is neglected
or overiooked, to that extent the Divine
Piovidence must be imperfect. But to
ascribe imperfection to God, or to his Pro*
vidence, is as absurd as it is blasphemous.

Yet pisdn and radonal as this doctrine
is, it ha3 met with much opposition from
ignorant and ungodly men. — Some have
urged, that it is unbecoming the dignity of
the Deity, to regard particularly all the in-
dividuals, and all the events, however little
and insignificant, that may be found among
his works : forgetting that whatever it was
worthy of him to create and appoint, it
must be equally worthy of him to preseryo
and govern. If the former was perfectly
suitable to his character, where can be the

1 12 The Providence of God.

unsuitablenetis of the latter ? — ^Others, again,
have foolishly represetited such a Providence
a6 has been now stated : such a minute at-
tention to all the aflfairs of the universe, to
be incompatible with the Divine tranquil-
lity and happiness i forgetting that God is
bot, as we are/weak and limited ^ but
omnipresent and (miniscient, and- infinite-
ly powerfuL From the most immense va-
riety of events, he can never experience dif-
ficulty or encumbrance. Thie whob-range
bf possibility is alike! easy to him. And
if with infinite eas6, he can, at all times,
in the best possible manner, govern the
universe^ we may warrantably infer, that
such a government exists. There is no-
thing too great for us to expect from hii
unbounded goodness. He who is the Loril
of all, continually preserver and provides
for all wArlds. Not a sparrow falls to the
ground without his noticer The worm of
the sod, as well as the angel of light, was
formed by his hand, and is continually
kept by his care, and supplied by hitf
bounty.

Thus am I led to believe that God exer-
cises a perfect Providence over the whole

The Providence of God. 113

Creadon ; but how he exercises it, I cannot,
at present, understand. I should possess
omniscience, or not much less than omni-
6ci«ice, if I could. It is enough for me to
have sufficient evidence of the fact, while
of the manner of the fact, I can have no
adequate comprehension.

But the doctrine of Divine Providence
is abundantly evident from the considera-
tion, not only of the nature and perfec-
tions of God ; but also of the existing con-
stitution and order of the universe. — When
I behold a great and complicated machine,
not only formed with the most exquisite
«kill, but also kept in the most excellent
order, having all its parts accurately ad«
justed, all its correspondencies rightly
maintained, and all its various motions
most wisely regulated, I cannot but infer,
that besides being originally made, it is
likewise continually superintended and di-
rected by some Being of adequate intelli*-
gence. In like manner, when I contemplate
the manifold works of God ; when I see
them all having their proper relations, all
preserving their proper places, and all har-
mq^iously conspiring to answer their proper

114 The Providence of God.

ends, I am irresistibly impelled to refer the
whole to the incessant agency and care of
the great First Cause :— or, in other words,
I must believe in the doctrine of an over-
ruling Providence — Consider the structure
of our bodies, the disposition of their parts,
and the various motions which they per-
form : the constitution of our minds, and
the impressions and operations of which
they arc every hour and every moment
conscious. How is this wonderful system
continually preserved, and by what power
are all its functions so nicely executed ?—
Consider this globe on which we dwell, how
its particles cohere ; how its divisions are
related ; how its revolutions are accom-
plished ; and how all its productions and.
inhabitants are generated and supported.
Who continually keeps it in its orbit ?
Who giveth day and night, and summer and
winter, and seed-time and harvest ? Who
produces every plant, and brings forth suc-
cessively every animal ? Who sendeth the
early and the latter rain ? Who suppUes
the returning wants of every living being ?
Consider, too, the other and innumerable

(worlds, which, roll in the immensity of
:c, with what exact propriety they are

The Providence of God. 1 15

distanced from each other, and with what
wonderful beauty they perform their vari-
ous rotations. None of them ever wander
from their way, or mistake their goal,
though they pass through trackless and
imbounded ether. None fly oflp from their
appointed circuits into extravagant excur-
sions, or ever press in upon their centres,
by too near an approach. None interfere
with each other in their perennial passage,
or intercept the kindly communications of
their reciprocal influence.* Who then

♦ * The little derangementB which affect the motions of the

* heavenly bodies,' it is well observed by Mr. Brewster, * are

* apparent only to the eye of the astronomer ; and even these^

* after reaching a certain limit, gradually dinunish, till the system
< regaining its balance, returns to that state of harmony and or«

* der, which preceded the commencement of these secular in-

* equalities. Even amidst the changes and inequalities of the
' system, the general harmony is always apparent ; and those
' partial and temporary derangements, which, to vulgar minds^

may seem to indicate a progressive decay, serve only to evince
the stability and permanence of the whole. In the contem-

* plation of such a scene, every, unperverted mind must be

* struck with that astonishing wisdom which framed the vari-

* ous parts of the universe,, and bound them together by one
^ simple law. In no part of creation, indeed, has God left

* himself without a witness ; but it is surely in the ^heavens

* bove, that the Divine attributes are most gloriously dis-

, played.

I.l6 The Providence of God.

continually supports and governs the stu-
pendous system ? Who preserves ten thou-
sand times ten thousand worlds in perpetual
harmony ? Who enables them always to
observe such time, and obey such laws, as
are most exquisitely adapted for the perfec-
tion of the wondrous whole? They can-
not preserve and direct themselves ; for they
were created, and must, therefore, be de-
pendent. How then can they be so actuat-
ed and directed, but by the unceasing en-
ergy of the great Supreme ? — In vain do men
here try to confine our attention to second
eauseSf since these are nothing but the
agents of him who is the First Cause of all.
And in vain do they talk of the laws ofna^
ture^ to the exclusion of its God, since these
words are nothing but unintelligible jar-
gon, unless they be intended to express that
particular manner in which the omnipotent

• played. And yet those men, by whose unrivalled pene^

• tration the irregularities of our system have been computed

• and traced to their proper causes, have surveyed the re-

• gions of hcaren with the most callous indiflFerence, and still

• continue blind to the matchless perfections of the great Au-
^thorofall!*

r^ftmrMTERU edition 9f Ftrgnswi'a Jstrmomy^ vol. i, p. 103r

The Providence of God. 117

usually operates, ♦ Aristotle, (it has been
remarked by an eminent philosopher), could

* * We musty as believers in God, seriously and sincerely

* make use of our reason, in banishing from among us that
' atbeiiticai spirit prerailing among some men, who, whenever

* things are seen to proceed from natural causes, immediately

* thereupon they endeavour to exclude all consideration of
' God. As if the abstract word nahtreywas a real inielRgent agent;

* or meant any thing more than the usual and mrimary me*
^ thod of God's governing the world. Which foolish mis-

* take arises merely from men's not distinguishing the wicit*'
^ sary nature of things, from that appointed ewrse^ or order of

* nature^ which is nothing but the will of God^ and the law

* of his creation»'^¥or instance^ that two and two should make

* feuTf or that a body should be only in one place at once/w the

* necessary nature 6f things^ and could not have been other-
' wise* But when we say, it is the nature of com to grow,
' or It Is the nature of pestilential vapours to destroy : — in

* these, and the like expressions, nature is nothing but the
« voluntary aff ointment bfGod: and natural causes here, do real-
' ly no more exclude the consideration of God^ than any

< one's affirming, — ^that it is the nature of a sword to Oil,

< would be a reasonable and satisfactory ground to forbear

< any further inquiry, by what band ihzt instrument of death

* was moved. When the inquiry is concerning the efficient

* agency f by what power plants and animals are formed ; by

* what power com grovrs, or food nourishes, and the like :-»

< to answer in this case, that it is their nature, or that it is

* natural for them to do so, is exactly the same thing as if

* a man being asked, how, and by what architect, a palace was
^ built, should answer, it was the nature of it to be built of
^ such aform and bigness.'

Dr. CiMOLM^a Sermons, vol. zi. pp. 159, leO.-^Duodicimo,

118 The Providence of God.

not help observing, * tBat to Ureat of the
worlds without saying any thing of its Au^
tbor^ would be impious^ as there is nothing
more frequently and constantly in na-
ture, than the traces of an all-governing
Deity ; and the philosopher who over-
looks these, contenting himself with the
appearances of the material universe on-
ly, and the mechanical laws of motion,
neglects what is most excellent, and pre^
fers what is imperfect, to what is su-
premely perfect, finitude to infinity, what
is narrow and weak, to what is unlimit-
ed and almighty, and what is perishing,
to what endures for ever. Such who at-
tend not to so manifest indications of
Supreme wisdom and goodness, perpe-
tually appearing before them, wherever
they turn their views or inquiries, too
much resemble those ancient philoso-
phers who made night, matter, and chaos
the original of all things.'*

But here it may be said, that admittin g
that all things are wisely and graciously

* ^— M«T,aiinn's Account of Sir Isaac Newton's Philo-

The Providence of God. 119

ordered, yet may we not suppose that both
the natural and moral world were so formed
by God 2X firsts as to require from him no
farther interposition ? Was not the consti-
tution of nature formed originally so perfect
as to ^tand in need of no after regulation? Is
not the universe a vast machine put in mo-
tion by the Deity, and endowed withintrin^
sic powers to produce all the effec5i:s which
its great Author ever intended it should pro-
duce ? Have not all the multifarious events
which have taken place, proceeded from one
single act of the Divine Power ?*

The above statement, so frequently giv-
en by some men of high pretensions to
learning, seems to me perfectly frivolous,
for it is an hypothesis altogether destitute
of proof. And are we to admit whimsical
conjecture for rational evidence ?— But the
theory is not only destitute, but incapable
of evidence. Whence can the evidence arise?
Were the mechanical philosophers present

• This is the doctrine of those who call themselves Free-
thinkers ; but as an eminent author, (many of whose senti-
ments I reprobate), has very smartly remarked,— .< Freethink-
* ers are generally xhose who never think at alL' stsrnb*

120 The Providence of God.

with God when he created the worlds and
gave them their constitution ? Did he reveal
to them his counsels ? Are they absolutely
sure that there are certain inherent and in*
dependent powers in the unirerse, and that
by these originally communicated powers
every thing has since been produced ? Do
they really know that all, even the most
common events, are the proper and neces-
sary effects of, what they call, natural
causes ? — ^The wisest of men can but skim
the suri&ce of things ; they have an idea
of some of the properties both of body and
mind, but no idea of the essence of either.
They see a countless multitude of things
conjoined ; but without admitting the im->
mediate and incessant agency of God, they
can discover no great operating principle
sufficient to account for the continued con-
nection and regulation of the whole. Con-
fessedly ignorant, then, as they are of the
system of nature, how can they venture to
affirm that this system, in virtue of its ori-
ginal frame, may, and actually does pro-
duce every effect which we see around us,
without any farther interposition of its Di-
vine Author? But there are some men, who»
(as an extraordinary friend and benefaaor

The Providence of God. 121

to science has well remarked) * know a
^ little, presume a good deal^ and so jump
* to a conclusion/* Let not, howcTer,
such sciolists be ranked among the num*
ber of philosophers. The truth is, their
mechanical system of .Providence is a mere
creature of the btain. It is the unseemly
produce of lawless fancy and extravagant
presumption.

But this mechanical system is not only
destitute » and incapable of proof, it is like-
wise absurd and impious. — ^It is absurd^ for
it attempts to separate the Omnipresent
Creator from his immense creation, the al«
mighty and infinitely benevolent Father
from his innumerable offspring. It repre-
sents him making his works independent
of himself, as if common sense did not tell
us, that whatever is indebted to him for
its being, must be equally indebted to him
for its constant preservation and direction.
All such vagaries, are evidently founded
on prejudices resulting from wrong appre-
hensions of the Divine character. Accord-

• Mr. Locke

122 The Providence of God.

ingly, it is with pleasure that I here adduce
the opinion of our unrivalled philosopher;
the immortal Newton.—* As the Deity is
i the Supreme and First Cause, from whom
all other causes derive their whole force
and energy, so Sir Isaac Newton thought
it most unaccountable to exclude Him on-
ly out of the universe. It appeared to
him much more just and reasonable to
suppose, that the whole chain of causes,
or the several series of them, should
centre in Him, as their source and foun-
tain, and the whole system appear dc-
piending upon ? Him, the only independ-
ent Cause.'* And to the very same eflFect^
we find the following': just and excellent re-
marks by Newton's illustrious expositor--^

* As,' says he, ' the Dei;ty is the first and

* supreme cause of allrrthings, so it is un-

* accountable to exclude . him out of na-

* ture, and represent him as an extra-munr

* danc intelligence. On the contrary, it is

* most natural to suppose him to be the

* chief Mover throughout the whole uni"

* verse, and that all other causes are de^

* pendent upon him ; and conformable to

* See M^Laurin's Account, &c. p. 380.

The Providence of God. 123

* this is the result of all our inquiries into

* nature^ where we are always meeting

* with powers that surpass mere mechan-

* ism, or the eflPects of matter and motion.

* The laws of nature are constant and re-

* gular, and, for ought we know, all of

* them may be resolved into one general

* and extensive power ; but this power it-

* self, derives its properties and efficacy,

* not from mechanism, but, in a great

* measure, from the immediate influences of

* the First Mover.'*-— And this mechanic-
al ' system of Providence is as grossly im^
pious ^ as it is glaringly absurd ; for it tends
to annihilate the attributes of the Divine
nature. It makes God an unconcerned
spectator of his own works, and places him
in a state of indolence, which is inconsist-
ent with every idea of perfection. — It is im-
pious, for it undermines the foundation of
all religious worship. When I pray for my
daily food, for a blessing on my common
meals, for the various virtues of the spirit-
ual life, and for ' mercy and grace to help

* me in every^time of need,' dpes not such
pious exercise evidently suppose the perpe-
tual agency of the Supreme Being in ruling

♦ M'Laiyrin. S^e his Account, &c. p. 387.

124 The Providence of God.

the world, and ministering to the wants
of his creatures as their circumstances re-
quire ? But if such Divine agency does not
exist, why should I lift up my voice in
prayer and supplication ? My worship is
vain ; it can profit me nothing. In this
case, I may as well worship images of
wood and stone, as bow down before the
Majesty of Heaven. — In fine, this mechanic-
al system is impious, because it directly
contradicts what is clearly revealed in the
Holy Scriptures. When I take up the
Bible, I hold in my hand a most striking
history of a particular Providence. And
when I read its contents, I meet with num-
berless attestations of this sublime and sa-
lutary doctrine. 1 find that the universe is
full of God ; that all the operations of na-
ture, and all the changes and events of life,
are directly ascribed to his power and vdll ;
that all things, the greatest and minutest,
the most trivial and most important, ar<(
alike the objects of his notice, and the sub-»
jects of his care. — * His kingdom is an
^ everlasting kingdom, and his dominion

* is from generation to generation. He is

• the Gk)vemor among the nations. He
^ increased! the nations, and destroyeth

The Providence of God. 125

them : He enlargeth the nadons, and
straiteneth them again. The king's heart
is in the hand of the Lord, as the ri-
vers of water he turneth it whithersoever
he will. He hath purposed, and who
shall disannul it ; his hand is stretched
out, and who shall turn it back ? He
is the blessed and only Potentate. All
the Hosts of Heaven are but ministers of
his that do his pleasure. Even when the
lot is cast into the lap, the whole dispos-
ing thereof is of the Lord. Promotion
Cometh neither from the east, nor from
the .west, nor from the south ; but God
is the Judge : He putteth down one and
setteth up another. He doth according to
his will in the Army of Heaven, and
among the inhabitants of the earth. The
eyes of all wait upon him ; and he giveth
them their meat in due season. He is
nigh unto all them that call upon him in
truth : He will fulfil the desire of them
that fear him : He also will hear their
cry, and will save them.'*

* Dao. iv, 3. Pt. xxii, 2S. Job xii, 23. Prov. xxi, i. Isaiah
XIV, 27. I Tim. vi, 15. Ps. ciii, 21. Prov. xvi, 33. Ps. Ixxv
6^ 7. Dan. iv» 35. Ps. cxlv^ X5> 18, 19.

Zii' .

■ri*

126 The Providence of God.

But some persons, I am aware, may
frivolously object here, that this statement
of the doctrine, makes Providence a con-
tinued miracle. Now, if by a miracle wc
are to understand merely the exercise of
Divine Power, I have no hesitation in say^
ing, that the whole course of Providence
is miraculous. But certainly this is not the
usual and strict meaning of the word «/•
rac'le. A miracle is an event which seenai^
to be out of the ordinary and settled course
of God*s procedure, and which, therefore,
becomes a particular display of his onmi-
potence. But is it not evident that the
same power which is implied in a miracle,
may be exerted on all other occasions, and
that the only thing which distinguishes it
from common events, is, that in the case
of a miracle, the influence of Divine Power
is rendered more obvious and sensible by
concomitant and extraordinary circum-
stances. Thus, the removal of a disease,
in the usual course of things, no one be-
lieves to be miraculous, whatever he may
believe concerning the constant agency of
God in the creation. But if a disease is
removed instantaneously, at the command
of a man, or in any other most extraordinary

^he Providence of God. 127

and unaccotintable manner, in this case
the interposition of Divine Power becomes
visible, and the wonderous eflPect produced
is denominated a miracle.* — ^The above ob-
jection, / then, if an objection it maybe
called,* does not, in the least degree, inva-
lidate the evidence, now given, of the doc-
trine of a particular Providence, or, in
other words, the doctrine of God's perpe-
tual agency in the government of the uni-
verse. In support of this doctrine, I have
adduced both argument and authority.
The soimdness of the argument, as I have
conducted it, may be disputed, but the
great authority to which I have appealed,
is unquestionable, for it is chiefly the au-
thority of Scripture. And remember, O
man ! that the authority of Scripture, is
the authority of Gk)d, and if thou wilt not
believe him, whom, or what wilt thou be-

i«ta

* Here, I refer the reader to Dr. Price's Dissertations^

X^. 71. I cannot express how much I am indebted to that

-Author. Several of his sentiments, both philosophical and

'^*eligious, arc very different from mine ; but still I will not

."^nthhold the tribute of praise that is due to him. I think

'^hat all his works are, upon the whole, most excellent ; and

^ am astonished, that, in "this enlightened age, they are not

VDore geoerally studied. *'i * '

128 The Praoidence of God.

lieve ^ The Lord/ saith the Scriptufle^

* reigneth, let the earth rejoice,*

Having thus endeavoured to explain the
nature, and adduce the proofs of the doc-
trine of Providence, (one of the first and
most important doctrines of religion), I
shall now attend to some of the reflectioni
which this momentous subject naturally
suggests.

The doctrine of Providence gives us a
glorious idea of the character of God, and
a most pleasing and improving view of dbe
present condition and future prospects of
man.

What a glorious idea it gives us of thi
CHARACTER OF GOD ! It Icads US to conccivc
of his presence as filling immensity, and of
his greatness as commanding universal ad^
miration. It leads us to worship him aft
the Lord of the universe, in whom all Ma-
jesty is for ever centered, and from whom
all life, and honour, and happiness, are de-
rived How amazing is His power, who

supports the pillars of nature ; who impels
^e planets in their everlasting round ; and

The Prwidence of Gad. 129

•wko, by?a single volition, ac<:om{Aishes
whatdter he pleases. How incomprehen-
sible his knowledge ! from whom nothing
is concealed either in heaven or on earth ;
who rejgardsi not ottiy the loftiest iefaph,
but the meanest reptile, together with all
the beings that intervene betwixt these
wJde ■ ewremes ; who' attends even ' to the
sitiktfion of everf atom, and to the" rising
of eveiy thought ; who comprehtfftds, at
once, the beginning and the end; the ori-
gin, and the consummation of all things !
And how adorable his wisdom and good-
ness, who maintains in perpetual harmony
and beauty the boundless creation ; who
is c6ntiriuaHy pursuing, one uniform and
benevolent scheme ; iand who is continually
so directing all Events, and all beings, as
•to make them' finally produce the greatest
and best •eflfect !— How 'glorious, and ve-
nerabte" and attractive, is this character of
Ood ! ' Arid how does tho contemplation of
it cbitoble the huriian heart, and exalt our
lideas of the Divine government ! — ^ Who

* is a (!Jod like unto our God ? Who can

* utter his mighty acts, or shew forth all
' his praise ? — Blessed be thou Lord God

* of Israel, our Father, for ever and ever,

130 The Providence of Gad.

Thine, O Lord! is the greatness, vid
the power, and the glory, and the vic-
tory, and the majesty ; for all th4t.i5;in
the heaven, ,and "in the ear^h; iS) thine.
Thine is the. kingdopi, O J^ord ! and thou
art exalted as Head above^all. Bless the
Lord, ye his angels that excel in strength,
that do his commandments, hearkening to
the voice; of his word. Bless ye the Locd, all
ye his, hosts, yc ministers of his that do
his pleasure. Bless the Lord, all his works
in all places of his dominion : — Bless (he
Lord, O my soul.*

And while this doctrine of Providence
illustrates the glory of God, whs^f a pleas-
ing and improving view it also aflPords us
of the present conditiion and fut^r^;rpro-
spects of man ! — ^Poes God reign supremei
and is he ever ready to employ all the per-
fections of his nature for our interest?
Then are wc a favoured race, the trhi'df en
of the Most High, honoured cpnti|uial-
ly with his presence, and blessed con-
tinually with his care. Did he liiake us ?

* Psalm cvi, 2. 1 Chron. xxis, 10, u. Psalm ciiu 20, 21, 22

The Trovidente of God. 131

Doea he continually preserve dnd govern
us ? TheTL may' vaei entertain the most de-
lightful thoughts of his lovin'g kindness
and tender mercy. The God of love who
made us, and preserves ind governs us,
certainly designs us for happiness. He cer-
tainly designs, whether by pleasure or pain,
prosperity or adversity, to educate us here
for perfect enjoyment hereafter. If even
earthly fathers feel, and do so much for
the benefit of their families, how much
more may we expect from our Father in
heaven ! He who clothes the grass of the
field, and feeds the fowls of the air, will
2nake infinitely ampler provision for his l
rational and dutiful children. He afiPords
grace : he oflfers glory : he is always ready
to impart every thing that is requisite to
the real improvement and felicity of their
nature. We have already experienced much
of his wisdom and bounty, and should not
the experience of the past gild to us the
prospect of the future ? Difficulties and
trials may now perplex us : desease, and
tribulation, and death, toay overtake us ;
-but since we, and the whole system of
which we are a part, are always under
unerring and benevolent xlirection, we may

i32 The Pravidence of God.

ever rest conjBidenti that the final resiilt
will be exceUent and happy. The greatest
evils now endured, are not worthy t/o be
compared with the glory that shall follow.
The Lord is our shepherd ; we shall not
want. — Our help cometh from the Lord
who made heaven and earth. He will not
suffer our foot to be paoved : he that keep-
eth us will not slumber : behold he that
keepeth Israel, shall neither slumber nor
sleep. The Lord is our keeper : the Lord
is Qur shade upon our right hand. The
sun shall not smite us by day^ nor the
moon by night. The Lord shall preserve
us from all eyij : he shall preserve our
soul. The Lord shall preserve our going
out and our coming in, from this time
forth, and even for evermore. Now arc
we the sons of God, ?ind it doth not yet
appear what we shall be ; but we know
that when he shall appear, we shall be
hke him ; for we shall see him as he is.'*
What generous and dignified sentiments
should not the consideration of this ixispire,
and what a virtuous^ holy, and celestial

* Psalm xxiiiy s. Psalm cxfi, 2, y, 4, 5> 69 7» 8^ i John iii. 2.

The Providence of God. 133

part should it not induce us to perform ! —
We should acknowledge God in all out
ways ; mark the operations of his hand ;
cheerfully submit to his severest dispensa-
tions ; strictly observe his laws ; and re-
joice to fulfil his gracious purpose. In
every thing we either; do or suffer, we
should consider ourselves as the servants of
heaven; and by a course of hmnble piety,
and sacred activity, seek to be qualified for
other, and still higher spheres of useful-
ness in a future world, and for there pur^
suing that perfect plan which our Almighty
Father and Friend has formed for the ac-
complishment of the greatest possible hap*
pin ess. — O that we were wise, and had such
divine views of God, of man, and of th«
mniverse!

y-i l-if? ■•

TliH

MORAL GOVERNMENT OF GOD.

PSALM Iviii, 11.

Vtrily there is a reward for the righteous ; «cn7y he
is a God thatjudgeth in the earths

1 HAT God is the Governour of the
world : that he particularly interests him-
self in the concerns of his rational crea-
tures, and renders unto them according to
their works, is a most certain and a most
important truth. Yet certain and import-
ant as this truth undoubtedly is, it has
been controverted by some, and is too of-
ten forgotten by all. — I lament the errors
and thoughtlessness of my fellow-beings ^
and while I lament theirs, I wish, at the

The Moral Government of God. 135

same time, to remember and deplore my
own. — ^What can be more unfortunate, or
inexcusable in a rational being, than ha«
bitual inattention to the Divine Govern-
ment, particTjlarly to this momentous fact,—
that upon our present conduct, our happi-
ness or misery must depend ? I can scarce-
ly breathe a better wish either for myself,*
or for others, than that we may all feel and
act from the firm belief, that ' verily there

* is a reward for the righteous : that verily

* he is a God who judgeth in the earth/

Having already endeavoured to state
and prove the doctrine of God's Provi-
dence, I am now naturally led to state and
prove the doctrine of his Moral Govern- r
ment. By his Providence, I mean that un-
wearied, wise, and benevolent care which
he constantly exercises over all his works,
whether animate or inanimate, rational or
irrational. But by his Moral Government,
I mean something mdre particular. I mean
that peculiar attention which he shews to
reasonable s^nd accoUiitabk beings consi-p
dered as t such. Upbii fhetti Ke is- here to
be cjonsidered as not' only ^conferring;' happi-
ness or- mifeeryv bbtxidnferrihg hapjAilcss or

136 The Moral Government of God.

misery proportioned to the different degrees
which they possess of virtue or vice. Vir*
tue, under his government, has a uniform
tendency to produce true pleasure and pro**
sperity ; and vice, an equally uniform tend-
ency to produce wretchedness and ruin.
It is not, however, pretended that virtue
and happiness are always inseparably con-
nected, nor that misery is occasioned onp
ly by vice. There are many sources of
pleasure and pain, altogether unconnected
with moral conduct. Every sort of exer-
tion : the gratification of every passion :
the accjuisition of every advantage, is na-
turally attended with delight. Those plea-
sures arise from the action itself, or from
its consequences } and not from moral qua*
lities : they belong promiscuously to good
and to bad men. We must beliqve that
the worst of men feel pleasure from, good
fortune, as well as the best. Pleasures and
pains of this nature, are evidently no proof
of a moral government, or of the contrary ;
and if all our enjoyments and uneasiness
arose from similar sQm:<;eSf we should have
no reason to he}^v^iin<the righteousness or
justice of God, whatever reason we might
have to believe in his goodness. That plqa*-

77i€ Moral Gwemment of trod. 137

sure should arise to us from many sources,
is a clear proof of kind and benevolent inten-
tion ; but presents no evidence whatever of
an upright administration. AU the plea*
sures and pains whicliwe have in common
with the inferior animals, and most of those
which arise from the desire of wealth and
of power, when they are pursued moder-
ately, and without any violation of justice,
seem to be of this kind. Of the same kind
are many of the pleasures of taste, though
not nearly the whole of them. All of these
administer pleasure to us, when they are
pursued' within due bounds. They arc
evidences of our Maker's bounty, as they
shew that he has been mindful of our hap-
piness, and has made liberal provision for
it ; but they are unconnected with moral
conduct, and therefore present us with no
proof of a moral administration. Without
attending to this distinction, we cannot
clearly understand what a moral administra-
tion is.^.-.^ moral administration consists
not merely in the distribution of happiness
and misery, but in the exact distribution

■^-K

« Sfit Arthur's Discounes.

138 The floral Government of G od*

of both the one and. the other to intelligent
beings, as they are either moral or immor-
al. — And does not such an administration
actually exist? I am glad that here we are
not left merely to presume upon fair con-
jectures and probable considerations, but
that we can make a direct appeal to the
character of God, and to the general ob-
servation of all thoughtful men : to the
particular experience both of the righteous
and of the wicked. • .

I »

We appeal to the character of god as a
proof of his Moral Government, — The per-
fection of his nature has been already de-
monstrated* He who is self-existent, om-
nipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent, is
likewise infinitely holy, and just, and
good. And if he himself is adorned with
holiness, and justice, and goodness, then it
must be his will that these divine quali-
ties should be possessed and cultivated by
all his rational creatures. Indeed, it can-
not be less necessary that he should require
all his rational creatures to do what is
right, than it is that he himself should do
what is right. — ^The law of truth, must be
tbe law of the God of truth. — Even earth-

The Moral Government of God. 139

ly fathers desire and expect, what they ac-
count their peculiar excellencies, to be faith-
fully copied by their children. How much
more reason, then, have we to believe thJat
God, our heavenly Father, will employ
every proper means to induce his intelligent
o£&pring to the practice of that moral rec-
titude, which is the glory of his own be-
ing, and the foundation of his unchange-
able happiness ? Those who practise such
rectitude,: evidently conform to his will,
and are, in some measure:^ partakers of his
nature ; while those who habitually trans-
gress its laws, do what they can to coun-
teract his designs, and efface every linea-
ment of his image from their hearts. With
the former he must be pleased : with the
latter he must be offended. And if so, it
seems necessary, that, in some way or
other, he should signify his love of the
former, and his disapprobation of the lat-
ter. Now, how can this be effectually
done, without conferring upon the obe-
dient reward, and inflicting upon the dis-
obedient punishment ? But if the obedient
go finally, unrewarded, and the disobedient
unpunished, , then God never signifies his
approbation of the pne, nor his displeasure

140 The Moral Government of God.

against the other. And if this were the
case, then there would remain no sufficient
proof of his being pleased or displeased
with either ; and, consequently, no suf-
ficient proof of his own moral attributes.
But this would be in direct contradiction
to what has been repeatedly shewn with
the evidence of demonstration. — It seems
then to be undeniably true, that God will
efiectually maintain and vindicate the ho-
nour of his laws, in a manner becoming
his character, as the supreme and righteous
Governour of the universe.

But in proof of the Mofal Government
of God, we may appeal not only to his own
character, but likewise to the observation

OF ALL thoughtful MEN : TO THE PAR-
TICULAR EXPERIENCE BOTH OF THE
RIGHTEOUS AND OF THE WICKED.

If we duly attend to the constitution of
our own minds, we shall, at once, find
that we are the subjects of a moral govern-
ment. — ^Are we not naturally disposed to
feel pleasure when we arfe conscious of do-
ing right, and equally disposed to feel pain
when we are conscious of doing wrong ?

The Moral Government of God. 141

We unquestionably are so. And is not
this a striking intimation of what the great
Author, of our nature intends us to do ?
Pleastire^ he annexes to the practice of 'vir-
tue ; and pain^ to the commission of vice*
Should not these be considered as i^anc *
tions of his moral law?

And what we thus feel in regard to our-
selves, we feel likewise iiL regard to others.
Who are the objects of our approbation \
Not those who have nothing else to recom-*
mend them than their riches, and their ho-^
nours, and their pleasures. Were we ca-
pable of praising them merely on this ac-
count, we should be conscious to ourselves,
that our praise was prostituted. Our ap*
probation and our praise are sacred unto
virtue. They are t he good onl y whom we
really love and esteem ; they are the good
only whose life all men wish one day to
imitate ; and whose death all men wish to
die. And who are the objects of our contempt
and aversion ? Not the poor, the humble,
and the helpless ; these (and especially if
they be deserving characters) we feel
naturally disposed to compassionate and
aid. They are the wicked wb(»n we caxv

142 The Moral Government of Go4.

not admit into our hearts. They are the
{ irreligious, the licentious, the slanderous,
; the unjust, the oppressive, and the cruel,
I vihose sentiments and conduct we are na--
« turally led to consider as detestable. Now,
if we derived our nature from God, and
if it is He who still continues its constitu-
tion, is not this disposition to favour vir-
tue, and to be inimical to vice, a plain
indication of the holiness of his will ? Does
it not plainly indicate what line of con-
duct he would have us to pursue, and is it
not a striking proof that his Government*
is strictly Moral ? •

But the visible eflPects which virtue and
vice tend to produce, and often do produce
in the present world, ought still more to
confirm our belief in the Moral Govern-
ment of God. Here I need not attempt a
long induction of particulars j the matter
must be sufficiently evident even to the most
superficial observer. Do we not daily see
virtue productive of health, and peace, and
prosperity ; and vice, productive of disease,
and misery, and ruin ? Do we not daily
see true piety commanding respect ; kind-
ness exciting gratitude ; honest industry

The 'Moral Government of God. 1445

teikling to prom(e«e ivoHdly comfoit^j and
tiemparan(5& frietidiy tb' the bumafi donstitu-
.txon;?iiAnd<do'We not at the same time sec
impiety, the ^^^yect 6f Abh6rrence : -iAhu-
maaity; detected: idleteis* the parent of
^want and pahi; and intemperance perni-
cious not only to out fiiture, but' to duf
present welfare ? But if all things ai'e un-
der the direction of Gitkl, arid if What I
•have now stated be just^ this formd another
>proof of his Moral Government.

• •

The effects of virtue and vice are equal-
ly visible upon public societies, as they un-
questionably are upon individuals. Exa-
mine the history of the ages that are pafet;
ransack the annals of the whole human race,
and you will $nd thaJt^vefy nation upon
the face of the earth, has-been more or less
prosperous as its morals were pure ; and >
xnore or less: unfortunate as its morals be- I
^ame corruptedr • The pubUc welfare/
dsays an aninikted and elbquent author,)^ )
^ consists m. the national character. Tnat
'* righteousness- exalteth a nation, and that
^ vice is not only a reproach ; but also a

^»tii|*i— wi^MiAwi— i i i i ", ■ ■' ■■11 I j ij j' t j Mi m^ .Bi III

(

144 The Moral Gwernment of God.

depression to any people^ are truths so
universally received, as to require little
coufirmation* Ail lawgivers, in all ages,
hay^ thought 8Q, and madie it their ob-
ject to cultivate, justice, and temperance,
and fortitude^ and induacry, conscious
that public virtue is the source of public
happiness. Philosophers and moraUsts
have been of the same opinion ; and have
taught, with one consent^ that the mor-
ality of the people, was the stability of
the government, and the true source of
public prosperity. Practice and experience
have confirmed the truth of these specrf-
lations. If we consult the history of the
Qiest renowned nations/ we shall find
that they rose to greatness by virtue, and
sunk to nothing by vice ; that they ob-
eyed dominion by their temperance,
their probity of manners^ and a scr^
ous regard to religion ; and that when
they grew dissolute, corrupted^ and prc^
fane,, they became slaves to their
neighbours, whom they were no longer
worthy to govern* Public depravity
paves^^dbe way; for public ruin. When
the health of the political constitution is
broken, it is hastening to its decline.

The Moral Government of God. 14.5

* When internal symptoms of weakness ap-

* pear, the least external violence will ac-

* complish its dissolution.' Thus, again,
it appears that the Almighty, the great
Ruler of the nations, exercises a moral go-
vernment over his rational creatures.

But though what has now been stated
generally holds true, I am fully aware that
there may be produced several' cases as ex-
ceptions. Though virtue naturally tends
to promote happiness, and vice misery, yet
these tendencies are sometimes disappoint-
ed of their eflPect, and that which Provi-
dence visibly favours, is left, at present,
vrithout an adequate reward. The lot of
the wicked sometimes falls to the righteous.
There are insta nces o fj^QQ^ men being de*
pressed and bad m en exalted ; ot vice hold -
ing a sceptre, and virtue pining in chains.
"We have seen aaists, the excellent of the
e arth, reduced to cat the brea djof^sorrow,
and drink the waters of affliction, while
the worthless and the infamous were riot-
ing in the abundance of life, and enjoying
whatever their hearts could wish. — — But
this forms no objection to the moral go-
vernment of God. We see jevidently that

14G The Moral Government of God.

^ moral government is begun, and we should
infer from the character of God, that at
some coming period, its exercise will be
completed. The foundation of the divine
structure is already laid, and in due time it
shall be reared up to perfection*

We always judge, in this way, concern-
ing the conduct of a human governour. If
we be once fully satisfied with respect to
his love of justice^ and have also no doubt
of his wisdom and power ^ we immediately
conclude, that all incorrigible criminals in
his dominions will be properly punished j
and though for the present, this should
not always be the case, yet we conclude
that their condudl is duly attended to, and
that their future treatment will be made to
correspond to it* — In like manner, if the
present state of thing? bear the aspect of a
scene of distributive justice^ it may reason-
ably be considered as only the beginning
of a plan of more exact and impartial ad-
ministration — We do not then merely con-
jecture : we believe from satisfactory evi-
dence, that there is a future state of retri-
bution, where every apparent wrong shall
be redressed : where every apparent disor-

The Moral Government of God. 147

der shall be rectified : where the just shall
receive a full reward, and the wicked a
suitable puxxishment. — ^ God hath appoint-*
« ed a day in the which he will judge he

* world in righteousness, by that man whom

* he hath ordained, whereof he hath given

* assurance unto all men, in that he hath

* raised him from the dead. — ^The dead
' shall hear the voice of the Son of God,

* and they that hear shall live. — All that

* are in the graves shall hear his voice, and

* shall come forth: they that have done

* good unto the resurrection of life, and

* they that have done evil unto the resur-

* rection of damnation.' *

* Acts xvii, 31. John y, 15, 28, 29.

Upon this subject^ Professor Stewart has, in his usual
manner, excdUently expressed himself.-—* An examination*
(says he) * of the ordinary cpurse of human affairs, furnish- ^
' es a proof from the fact, that, notwithstanding the seem-

* ingly promiscuous distribution of happiness and misery in

< this life, the reward of virtue, and the.punishment of vice,

< are the great obj^ts of all the general laws by which the

< world is governed. The disorders, in the meantime, which,

* in such a world as ours, cannot fail to arise in particular

* instances ; when they are compared with our natural sense

* of good and of ill desert, afibrd a presumption, that in a

< future state, the nK)ral government, which we see begun

* here, w511 be carried into complete execution.* Outttnes of
Moral Phllotofby^ pp. 223 k. 224, 2d edit.

K 2

148 The Moral Government of Qod:

Here, however, it may be asked, why is
the execution of the sanctions of the moral
law tvcr delayedj^ Why does not virtue /w-
^ mediately receive its reward and vice its pu-
nishment ? Would not such an immediate
distribution of justice, give us a much more
striking and rational view of the Divine^
government ?

To this I answer, that such an immedmte
distribution of juftice would be inconsist-
ent, both with the nature of man, and with
the character of God.

It would be inconsistent with the nature
of man ; for man being designed by hi^
Creator for happiness, must previously ac-
quire virtuous habits, as these are abso-
lutely requisite to the enjoyment of hap-
piness, i^ut such hgbits can be acquired
pnly gradually. Sufficient time then must
be afforded for their formation, and not an
immediate pimishment inflicted for ^very
particular offence. — Were every single ac-
tion, as soon as it was performed, followed
with its proper reward, or punishment :
were wickedness, in every instance, strucjc
with immediate vengeance, and were good-r

The Mental Governinent of God, 149

hess always easy aild pfosp^rbiis, the cha^
racters of men could not be formed : vir-
tue wo\ild be rftrid6i-ed interested arid mer-
cenary: some of its inost importajnt branichet
could not be practised : some of its bright^
est displays could not be exhibited. Adver-
sity, frequently its best friend, would be
tor eveif e^tcluded, and all thdse trials re-
trioved whicn dre necessary to traiil it up
to maturity and perfection. And thus
would the process of a moral government
be disturbed, and its pxirpose coiiipletely
defeated:

But the ibifnediate distribution of divine
lustice^ Would be inconsistent also with the.
character of God. — The nature of God is
bot like 6\Lt nature. He feels no such im-
petuotLS emotions as we feel against those
who affiront us, and whoni we consider as
bur enemies. He is perfect reaton, wis-
dom, arid goodness. He is patient^ and
^ndly waiteth for the prodigal's return^

• Thotigh the sinner doth evil in hundred
^ times/ yet God * prblorigeth his days.*— i

* He is long-sujffcring to us-ward, riot will-
^ ing that any should perish ; but. that alt
^ should come to repentance/— And tJiis

150 The Moral Governmeiit of God.

we may venture to affirm, seems almost
necessary; for who could flatter himself
with the hope of escaping misery, were!
God to execute immediately his sentence
against evil works ; were he to make pu^
nishment instantly follow the commission of
sin?

Had punishment instantly lollowed tW
commission of sin, what would have be-
come of David when he fell into the most
nefarious crimes? It was the long-suflPer*
ing, the patience of God that gave him
time to repent ; to recover from his infa-
tuation ; to see the horror of his sins, and
under a deep sense of them to exclaim,—

* Have mercy upon me, O God, according

* to thy loving-kindness ; according to the

* multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out

* my transgressions. Wash me thorough-
^ ly from mine iniqtiity, and cleanse mcf

* from my sin; for I acknowledge my

* transgressions and my sin is ever before

* me. Against thee, — thee only have I
^ sinned, and done this evil in thy sight,
' that thou mightest be justified when thotf
^ speakest, and be clear when thou judg-

The Moral Government of Cod. 151

^ est/ *— Had punishment instantly follovr*
cd the commission of sin, what would have
become of ManafTeh, \men he was making
the house of God the theatre of his dis-
soluteness and idolatry ;— while he was
^ malting groves, building a][tars for all the
^ host of heaven, — ^making his son pass
* through the fire, and working much
^ wickedness in the sight of the Lord ?' f
It was the long-suffering j the patience of
God^ that bore with hixn, that led him to
humble himself, to pray fervently, and to
obtain grace to enable him to become aQ
exemplary convert.— Had punishnnent in^
stantly followed the commission of sin^
what would have become of S\ Peter, when
frightened and confounded at the sight of
the judges and executioners of his Saviour,
he made this false and cowardly assevera-
tion.-—* I know not the man ?* | It was
the long-suffering ; the patience of God,
that gave him an opportunity of seeing
(immediately after this shameful denial of
him), the merciful look of Jesus, of flee-
ing from a place fatal to his innocence, of

♦ Psalm li, 1, 2, 3, 4. ^ t ^ Kings xxi, 3, 5, 5,
% Matt* xm^ 74*

152 The Moral Government of God.

going out to weep bitterly, and of making'
this solemn appeal ; ^ Lord ! thou knowe^t

* all things ; thov^ knowest that I love

* thee.'* — ^Had punishment instantly fol-
lowed the commission of sin, what would
have become of S\ Paul while he was
^ breathing out threatenings and slaughter,!
and soliciting letters from t;he high priest |o
pervert and punish the disciples of Christ t
It was the long-suffering ; the patience of
God, that gave him an opportunity of thuij
imploring, ' trembling, and astonished/-^

Lord what wilt thou have me to do ?' f — .
and of honestly confessing, * I was before %
' blasphemer, and a persecutor, and inju<«

* rious, but I obtained mercy/ J But here

we need not refer to the case of those only
who lived in former times. What would
have become of ourselves ^ if punishment
had ifnmediately followed the commission of
sin ?— We should all, long ere now, have
been miserable. It is of, the LortTs mercies
that we are not consumeefi The delay of pu-i-
nishment is a demonstration. of ^is mercy 5
it does not prove that he is unjust, but it

• * •■ V

♦ John xxi, 17. t AcU ix, 6. % i Tim. i, 15,

The Moral Government of God. 153

clearly proves, that besides being perfectly
wise, he is also unspeakably good.

.We conclude then, and upon the best
grounds, that we are the subjects of a mcv-
yal government. No valid objection can
be urged against the truth of this doctrine.
What we koow of the Divine character ;
what we discern to be interwoven with hu-
man nature, and to pervade the whole
Course of human affairs, carries an evidence
not to be resisted.^— We might as well doubl
whether the sun was intended to illuminate
die earth, or the rain to fertilize it, as whe-
ther God intended to announce to man«
kind the law of righjLeousness, as the rule
of their conduct

Let |lien wh^t has now been advanced
-pngage us more and more in the study of
|the divine government. In a nobler study
we cannot be engaged. No study h more
fruitful in wise instructions, in salutary ad-
monitions, and reviving consolations. May
we therefore cherish, by all possible means,
the belief of this doctrine, which is at once
so purifying and so pleasing j so important
to the proper enjoyment of our comforts,

154 The Moral Government of Qod.

and to the right regulation of our practice^.
May we all seriously remember that we are
accountable beings, and that as we now sow ^
we sbaU reap ; that under the divine admi-
mstration no one shall be permitted, vnxb,
impunity, to gratify his criminal passions,
and make light of the great duties of life.-^
Do we really believe this ? Let us thinly
then 9 what we should be in respect of bolim
nesSi and what we may be in respect oifor^
titudejp^ace^ and happiness. — Righteous man!
continue thou, acting as a fi^thful subject
of the King of heaven, and ^ let not thine
* heart envy sinners ; but be thou in the
^ fear of the Lord all the day long, for sure?
^ ly there is a reward, and tl^inip expecta^f
^ tion shall not be cut off/ *

' ^1 ' . '■■■ » * ■ ■ I , J ^1 1 %

♦ Prov. xxiii'i 17, iS.

MORAL OBLIGATION

PSALM Ixxviil, U

Give ear J O my peopky to my law.

1 H£S£ words were originally addressed to
the people of Israel ; and they are still so-
lemnly addressed to us. This is the vdice
of God in every age, * Give ear^ O my
* people, to my law/ — All are giving ear
to something or another ; one to the voice
of flattery, another to the invitations of
carnal pleasure ; one to the demands of
avarice, and another to the calls of worldly
honour. In short, everywhere we see the
great majority of our fellow-creatures giv-
ing ear to any thing, however inferior, how-
ever contemptible, rather than to the voice
of wisdom. — But, O ye sons of men ! how
long will ye follow after vanity ? How long

\o6 Moral Obligation.

will yc listen to delusion, and believe a lie ?
Turn ye, turn ye, and hearken to the voice
of God. This now is his language to every
one of jox^y * Give ear^ O my people, to
my law/

Let ub consider, first, the nature of
the law here mentioned ; secondly, the
regard w'hich we should pay to It; and,
THIRDLY, the grounds on which it is en-
titled to our regard.

First, let us consider the nature of the
law here mentioned.— A law is a rule pub-
lished by proper autliority, for the regula-
tion of the conduct of those to whom it i&
addressed^ and accompanied with proper
sanctions to enforce the observance of it. —
The law of God, then, here mentioned, is
the rule published by Him for the regula-
tion of our conduct ; to the observance of
which he invites us by promising an ex-
ceeding great reward,' and from the breach
of which he deters us by threatening the
most dreadful punishment.

This law is not an arbitrary enactment ;
it is holy, and just, and good j and neces-

Moral Ohlimtlon. 1 57

sarily arises out of the constitution of our
nature, and the relations in which we stand
to Him and to one another.

He is our Creator and Preserver, infinite
in power, wisdom, and goodness ; hence
we are called upon t6 revere, to love, and
to serve him ; to keep his statutes, to form
our souls after his injage, and, in a word,
to make him * all our desire, because he is

* all our salvation,^

We are likewise intimately connected
with one another ; and frpm this circum-
stance the law of God requires that we
should all live as brethren, and preserve
^ the unity of the spirit in the bond of

* peace ;' that we should do good as we
have opportunity, both to the bodies and
the souls of one another ; that we should
^ put on bowels of mercy, loving one an-
f Qther-'

There are also certain duties enjoined
by this law which we owe to ourselves.
We are to keep our hearts with all dili-
gence, and to abstain from that indulgence
pf our inferior appetites andjpassions which

158.. Moral Obligation.

degrades the dignity and obstructs the im-
provement of our nature. We arc to use
assiduously every means of enlightening
and enlarging our minds, of * growing in

* grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord

* and Saviour Jesus Christ/ In short, a

* better summary cannot be given of the
law than this : — ^it is, that we should * deny

* ungodliness and worldly lusts, and live

* soberly, righteously, and godly in thii.

* present world/ — * The Lord hath shewed

* thee, O man ! what is good, and what doth

* he require of thee, but to do justly, and

* to love mercy, and to walk humbly with

* thy God ?' *

Having thus shortly described the law,
which is here mentioned, let us next con-
sider the regard which we should pay to
it. — To regard it properly, we should seri-
riously consider, sincerely love, and studi-
ously endeavour more and more to obey it.

We should seriously consider it. Ig-
norance is quite inconsistent with good
practice, for unless we know our duty, it
is impossible, in the nature of things, that

* TitiM ii, 12. Micah vi, S.

Mbral OblighHon^ 159

We shbuld ever perforni it. — ^I can never
Worship and serVe Gk)d, unless I first know
that God is ; what are his perfections ; and
what the service that he requires,— I can
licver fulfil my duty to my fellow-creatures,
tmless I first know what my duty to them isi
What is their situation ; what are their ne-
cessidesy and what are the good offices which
the consideration <)f that situation and of
those necessities should jprompt me to dis«
tharge. . No more can I fulfil the duties I
owe to myself, unless I first know sdme*
thing of my own nature ; in what consists
its true excellence, and what is that temper^
that State of mind, that conduct with which
iny Creator has connected my happiness.-**
And as we cannot do our duty without
knowing it, so we cannot know it without
closely considering it We can know no-
thing by a superficial gknce ; we must
collect all our attention to the subjcdl of
our knowledge, and examine its parts with
the greatest care j we must dive into its
principles, and follow it out into all its
bearings. To pay a due regard, then, to the
law of God, We must not content ourselves
with giving it a hasty reading, with get-
ting it merely by rote, with making our-

t
i

160 Moral Obligation.

selves masters merely of its words; we
must labour to comprehend its meanings,
to see its harmony, and connection, to en-
ter into its life and spirit. . We mjust ^ xne-
^ ditate on it day and night j* and give its;
commands, its threatenings, and its pro-
mises, a fixed residence in our souls. It is
in this way only that ^ the word of Christ/
the whole body of the divine law can

* dwell in us richly/ — ^It is in this wky
only that our minds can be fiilly impressed
with a deep sense of religious truth, and
have an intimate acquaintance with all
God's commandments. And this is.th^
way in which he exhorted his people of old
to walk. ' The words which I command

* thee (says he to Israel), shall be in thy

* heart ; and thou shalt teach them dili-

* gently unto thy children, and shalt talk

* of them when thou slttest in thine house^

* and when thou walkest by the way, and

* when thou liest down, and when thou

* risest up, and thou shalt bind them for
< a sign upon thine hand, and they shall

* be as frontlets between thine eyes ; and

* thou shalt write them upon the posts of

* thine house and on thy gates.' *

*• » •

* Dcut. vi, 6, 7, 8.

•»♦

Moral Obligation. . \ l6l

But, if we regard properly the divine
laLW, Wj^shall not oply seriously consider,
bvit also SINCERELY LOVE IT. — Unless the
he?irt go along with it, all that we . can do

* profiteth nothing' in a moral point of
view. It is not from a man's performing
tbc exterior of duty ; but from his heart
delighting to perform it, that we denomi-
nate his character good. Now God searches
the heart ; and unless we present from the
^e^rt an oblation of love, it cannot be ac-
cepted. He is * a Spirit, aAd they who

* wonhlp him, must worship him in spirit

* and in truth.' The man who pays a due
regard to the divine law, is not a slave
who reluctantly labours ; but a son who
cheerfully obeys ; who loves the Lord his
God ^ith all his heart, and with ^1 his soul,
and witt all his might/ * And if he love
the Lord^ he must love the law too, which
the Lord hath enacted, love to observe all
thiogSj^ whaLtsoever he h,ath cowaaanded.

And while we should thus seriously con-
sider^ and sincerely love the divine law,
we should also studiously endeavour more

* Dcut. ri, 5,

l62 Moral Obligation.

AND MORE to OBEY IT. This indeed is a na*
tural and a necessary consequence ; id*' whiat-
ever law has become the subject of our se-
rious consideration and sincere love, we
must desire that law to become more and
more the rule of our conduct. We cm
never too implicitly and zealously adopt
that law J we can never too strictly and
steadilv adhere to it. Now, * the law of

* God is perfect,' and we should be going
on towards perfection. * Forgetting those

* things which are behind, and reaching

* forth unto those things which are before^

* we should press toward the mark of the

* prize of the high calling of God.' — To
our * faith, we should add virtue ; and to

* virtue knowledge ; and to knowledge
■ temperance ; and to temperance patience ;

* and to patience godliness ; and to godli-

* ness brotherly kindness ; and to brother-
^ ly kindness charity ^These things should

* be in us and abound ;' that we may prove
ourselves to be duly observant of the di-
vine law ; to be * faithful workmen, that
^ need not be ashamed ;' to be * neither

* barren nor unfruitful in the khowledgc

* of our Lord Jesvis Christ,'

Moral Obligation. l6S .

But that none of ns, even the most ig-
noranty may make any mistake on a subject
of so much importance, it is right here to ob-
serve, that none of us can thus obey the law
of God of ourselves, that we are by nature-
^ dead in trespasses and sins,^ and must of
consequence be * quickened together with

* Christ,' before we can * have our fruit

* imto holiness ;' before we can be * fervent

* in spirit serving the Lord.' And even
after we have been * quickened together

* with Christ,' and enabled to abound in
his work, still we must every moment be
dependent on his grace, and ^ go on in his

* strength ;' for ' without him we can do

* nothing.' He, therefore, who studies to
keep the divine law, is deeply impressed
with a sense of this great truth ; with a
sense of his own weakness ; and under this
impression, * bows his knees unto the Fa-
' ther of pur Lord Jesus Christ, of whom

* the whole family of heaven and earth is

* named, that he would grant him, ac-

* cording to the riches of his glory, to be

* strengthened by his spirit in the inner

* man ; that Christ may dwell in his heart

* by faith ; that he being rooted and ground-

* ed in love, may be able to comprehend

L 2

l64 Moral Obligation.

with all saints, wlnat is the breadth ^ and
length, and depth, and height; and to
know the love of Christ which passcth
knowledge, that he may be fiUed with
all the fulness of God/—-* I ann totally;
insufficient of myself; but ir lift mine
eyes, says he, unto Him, from whom
coiiieth my help ;. my help coitie^ from
the Lord who made heayea and earth.

Lord let thine hand help me, for I
have chosen thy precepts ; and thy laiw^
is my delight* O that my ways were di-
rected to keep thy statutes ! Who can
understand his errors ? cleanse thou ipe
from secret faults. Keep back thy serv-
ant also from presumptuous sins ; let them
not have dominion over me ; then shall

1 be upright, and I shall be innocent from
the great transgression. Search me,
God, and know my heart ; try me, and
know my thoughts ; and see if there be;
any wicked way in me, and lead me in
the way everlasting !'

Such is the law of God, here mention-
ed, and the regard which we should pay

to it. Let us next consider the grounds

on which it is entitled to our regard. — ^l

Moral Obligation. 165

shall mention three, — It is the law of God ;
the law of society ; and the law of fclidty.

It is ehtitled to our regard, because it
Is the law rf God. — It ought not to be for-
gotten, however, that to the observance of
thii^ law we are bound, independently of
all external authority whatever, because it
is in its own nature right As there is an
essential and unalterable distinction be-
tween sweet and bitter, between pleasure
and pain, between light and darkness ; so
there is an essential and unalterable dis-
tincticMa between virtue and vice- Apart
from all command on the subject, we ne-
cessarily approve of the former and disap-
prove of the latter, and feel ourselves un-
der indispensable obligation to adhere to
the practice of the one, and to abstain from
that of the other. — Virtue is the law of
eternal reason, and necessarily claims the
observance of every reasonable being. But
still what gives the chief weight to diis
law is, that it is the positive law of God.
He hath written it indeUbly upon every
heart ; he inscribed k Upon the tables of
Sinai ; he made it known by prophets a Ad
righteous men of old ; and he hath last of

166 Moral Obligation.

all proclaimed it by his only begotten Son
Jesus Christ. ' For this purpose, say the

* Scriptures, was the Son of God mani*
^ fested in the flesh, that he might destroy

* the works of the devil j' that he might
deliver those who were disobedient to the
law, and bring them back to the service of
God, What he hath taught concerning
obedience to the law, is so clearly stated,
that he who runs may read it j and so povirer-
fully enforced, that none but a heart of ada-
mant can disregard it. He exemplified it
fully in his own life,— Blessed Being I he

* became obedient even unto death ;' and
having risen again from the dead, ascended
into heaven^ and sent down his holy Spirit
to dwell in the human heart, and completely
renew it. Now hath God thus fully promulg-
ed his law ? Hath he thus solemnly pointed
out the obedience which we should render
to it ? And shall we then dare to disobey ?
shall we dare to join with the impious king
of Egypt, who hardened his heart and said,

* Who is the Lord that I should obey his

* voice ?' — * In His hand our breath is ; and

* His are all our ways/ He is the great
Father and Preserver both of body and
soul ; he can in a moment destroy both^

Moral Obligation. 167

and ^ cast them into hell/ He even com«-
passeth our path^ and witnesseth all our
deeds. Soon will he erect his throne of
judgment, and * render unto every man

* according to his deeds,— unto them, who

* by patient continuance in well-doing seek

* for glory, honour, and immortality,^ter -

* nal life ; but unto them who are conten-

* tious and obey not the truth, but obe^
' unrighteousness^ indignation and wrath,
^ tribulation and anguish/ ^

But our obligation to regard the divine
law will appear still more evident, if we
consider that it is also the law of society.
How could we enjoy the comforts, or even
preserve the existence of society, if there
were a total and universal renunciation of
virtue ? How could wc enjoy the comforts,
or even preserve the existence of society,
if there were no fear of God among us ;
no attention to truth, to honesty, to so-
briety; no regard for temperance, kind-
ness, and beneficence. Disease and pain,
in forms more hideous than we have ever
yet beheld, would lay waste our dwellings.

* Rom. iiy 6t 7j ^i 9*

l68 Moral Obligation.

Cruelty would stalk abroad, alid without
constraint fulfil its horrible purpose. The
cry of blood would day and night fill our
streets; treachery, robbery, murder, and
^lassacre, would everywhere meet our eyes.
Man would become a very devil ; and earth
be really converted into hell. — But what a
different spectacle from this, or even from
what we now behold, would be exhibited
to our view, did all men conscientiously
keep the law of God ! Order and peace
would commence their happy reign. Rue->
ful, squalid poverty would no longer be
tnown ; the rod of the oppressor would be
broken, and the oppressed go free. The
destroying sword of war would be sheath-
ed for ever ; and men would dwell toge-
ther, as brethren ought to dwell, in love and
unity. The days of paradise would again
return ; and what a change divine, on every
hand, would feast our ravished eyes J

* Springs would refresh the thirsty land,

• and the wilderness and the solitary place

• would be glad ; the desert would rejoice

* and blossom as the rose.' Accordingly,
wherever you see a people making progress
in righteousness ; wherever you see them
discovering a growing regard to the divine

Moral Obligation. I69

; there you see proportional advances
made to this state of happiness* And
whererer again you see ^ people making
progress in vice ; wherever you see them
discovering a growing disregard to the di-
vine law ; there you see proportional ad-
vances made to ruin and misery. He then
who lives in the habitual violation of the
divine law, is not only a traitor to his
God, but also an enemy to his country.
He may make indeed a fair shew to the
world ; he may blazon abroad his patriot-
ism and his loyalty j but by his life and
conduct he tries to undermine all those sa-
cred principles which are the guard and
support of every community, and without
which no community could exist for a single
day. He is in truth a public assassin, a
devoted servant of ApoUyon the great de-
stroyer ; for he labours to destroy all sense
of God, and to stab the very vitals of pub-
lie prosperity. If such then be the un-
godly ; if such be all those who openly
violate CJod's holy law, * O my soul come

* not thou into their secret; unto their

* assembly mine honour be thou not unit-

* ed.' For, though the ruin which they
occasion may not be so apparent j may not,

] 7d Mcft-al ObUgatian.

in so glaring a form, all at once strike our
Tiew, nevertheless it is \!irorsc, infinitely
worse than * the pestilence that walketh in

* darkness, or the destruction that wasteth

• at noon day.' — By all, then, that we owe
to God, and by all that we owe to ooir
country, let us be induced to keep the di-
vine law.

But to induce us to observe this law
still more strictly, let us recollect, that while
it is the law of God and of society, it is
also the law of felicity. — Every individual
who observes this law, in whatever cir-
cumstances he may be placed, whether pros-
perous or adverse, must feel himself, at least,
comparatively happy. This is the natural
consequence of what has already been said
of the tendency of obedience to the law,
to promote the happiness of society, tm-
less we can suppose a whole society to be
happy, and at the same time the indivi-
duals who cojnpose it to be unhappy. But
this we cannot suppose; it i$ a palpable ab-
surdity; and in every case it will be found
to hold true, that just so much as we have
of devout regard to God and to his holy
law, just so much shall we have of true

Moral Obligation. I71

felicity. Gk)d himself is eternally and in-
finitely happy, because he necessarily loves
and acts agreeably to the law of eternal
and infinite reason, or, in other words, be-
cause he is eternally and infinitely holy.
Angels too are much happier than we are,
because they are much more conformed tb
God ; much more conformed to reason, his
immutable law. And we in our lower
sphere can only approach to their happi-
ness, by imitating their obedience. Man,
while disobedient, while regardless of Gk>d.
and without subjection to his holy law, is
in a disordered and unnatural state. He
is a degraded animal, clinging only to this
earth, lying at the mercy of events, tor-
tured by the cravings of insatiable desires,
and tossed by the incessant tempest of un-
governable passions* He cannot, at the
same time, divest himself of the power of
conscience. His sins often rise up in hor-
rible array against him^ and stare him in
the face. He anticipates the tribunal of
God, and has * nothing but a fearful look-*
* ing for of judgment.' But he who has
grace given him to observe the divine law,
is a friend of Christ, and need fear no evil.
Christ loves him and nuqpibers lum with;

172 Moral Obligation.

his chosen^ and bids him be of good cheer^
because his siiis are forgiven him. His
heart therefore becomes the sanctified sear
of serenity and order ; all his desires and
passions are directed to their proper ob-
jects ; his soul is the highly-favoured ha-
bitation v^hich Deity itself hath chosen to
dwell in. * If a man love me,' (sayeth
Christ), * and keep my words, (that is, my

* /aw), my Father will love him ; and we

* w ill come and take up our abode with

* hj^J*' Who can describe the happiness
of that man, who is thus singled out from
the world, and admitted to * fellowship

* with the Father, and with his Son Jesus
' Christ V His is a peace that passeth all
understanding ; the joy of heaven upon
earth, the triumph of eternity in the mo-
ments of time, — No blighting blast of ad-
versity can wither his comforts. Death it-
self cannot sever him from the source of
happiness. Nay, ^ glorying in tribulation/
he regards death only as his Father's mes*
senger kindly sent to call him home. And
when his friends stand weeping around
Jiim, and taking their last adieu, with a
smile of heaven on his cheek, and a sweet
humble hope sparkling in his eye, he can

Moral Obligation. 173

calmly say, * weep not for me, but for your-

* selv€Sj who have st ill to struggle with sin

* and with mort ality. Earth and you I

* leave behind me ; but I go to. angels, to

* God my Saviour^ my everlastings oy/ He
gently falls asleep in Jesus : he rests from
his labours, and his works do folloyr him..
Evil then shall never reach him ^ ignorance
shall never cloud his understanding ; de-
viations from God'§ law shall never grieve
his spiiit : he is then pxade perfect ; and
his perfection and happiness ^re without
measure and without end.

If then we have any reverence for Go4,
any regard fqr the good of society, any
regard for our own present peace and eter-
nal felicity, we must listen to the voice of
God, and he all zeal to obey his law. Let
us not say within ourselves, * it is time

* enough 5 WQ may defer this great work

* to some future opportunity, when we

* shall have mpre leisure or greater inclin-

* ation to perform it :' f or tha t opportu- |
nity we may never find , — before to-mor- |
tow : nay, this very hour, our souls may be \
r equired of us . And if death surprise us '
unprepared, — ^destitute of that character

174 Moral Obligatimi.

formed by the spirit of God and required
by his law ; all hope is gone : * there re-

* maineth no more sacrifice for sin,'— our
ruin is inevitable. O let us not then trifle
with the law of God, and with the things
that belong to our everlasting peace ; but
let us give no sleep to our eyes, nor sltun-
ber to our eye-lids, till we have some evi-
dence of our being followers of Jesus, and
purified by him as his * peculiar people

* zealous of good works.' Let us be fre-
quent at his throne of grace, praying that
his Spirit may come mightily upon us, to
mould us into a perfect conformity to his
law, — to make us holy as he is holy, and
^ change us into the same image from glory

* to glory.'

But if it be already our fervent desire
to obey God's law, and whether we eat or
drink, or whatever we do, to do all to his
glory, let us lift up our hearts in praise to
him for the distinguishing grace which he
hath shewn us. Let us look at the children
of disobedience around us, who in coxint-
less multitudes are blinded by sense and
passion, and to all appearance going down
tp misery, — let us look at them ; and then

Moral Obligation. 175

ask ourselves, ' who hath made us tq. dif-

• fer ?' To God we are wholly indexed ;
to him we owe every thing ; and hg it w?^8
who, rich in mercy, did open our eyes,
that we might ' behold wondrous things

• out of his law.' We ought not therefore
to be high-minded, but to fear and to give
to the grace of God all the glory. Wc
ought to testify our gratitude, by every
day giving more earnest heed to his law ;
by allowing ourselves to commit no known
sin, and to omit no known duty. Wc
ought with constant care to keep a con-
science void of oflFence towards God, and
to adorn his doctrine in all things ; to make
our closets, our families, our private <:om-
panions, as well as the public assemblies
of the saints ,-<— to make all these bear us
witness, that, notwithstanding the many
failings which necessarily cleave to us, still
our ardent desire is, that we may go on
undeviating in the path of duty, that wc
may be * sanctified wholly, and our whole

* spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blame-

* iess, till the coming of our Lord. Be-
' hold he Cometh quickly, and his reward
[ is with him, to give unto every man ao-

176^ Moral Obligation.

* cording a s his works shall be/ Before
an assembled vforld he shall publish oui;
obedience to his law^ and pronouncing,' ns
good' and faithful! servants, shall welcopfi;;
ufftohis glory* ,

f :

i'4

APPENDIX.

In the preceding plain dissertation, I have
avoided referring to any of the philosophi-
cal theories concerning the foundation of
moral obligation* Such a reference, I
thought, might tend to distract, unneces-
sarily, the attention of the reader. In this
place, however, it may not be improper to
state shortly the various accounts of moral
obligation which have been given by some
of the most celebrated modern writers oa
the subject.

I. Dr. Clarke maintains^ * That the

* eternal necessary differences in things, ob-

* vious to all whose understandings are not

* depraved, lay a foundation for different

* relations, and for the fitness or unfitness

* of certain actions to these relations/

178 Moral Obligation.

When an action is congruous to the cir-'
cumstances or relations in which the agent
is placed, it is virtuous ; when incongruotis,
it is vicious.

* These eternal necessary diflFerenccs/
he adds, ' lay an obligation upon men ta

* act virtuously, separate from any con-

* sideration of the will of God, or any ex-

* pectation of advantage or disadvantage

* annexed, by natural consequence, or po»

* sitive appointment/ ♦

2. Dr. Hutcheson conceives moral good-
ness to consist in * a property apprehend-

* ed in some actions which produces ap-

* probation and love towards the actor,

* from those who receive no benefit from

* the action/ an d suppo ses a moral sense
to be implanted in our natures, which, in-
dependently of any argument, leads us to
perform virtuous actions ourselves, or to
approve them when performed by others, f

-3- Dr. REro adopts and patronizes the

* Clarke at Boyle's Lectures, fol. vol. li, p. 79-88.

t Hutchcfoa'» Inquiry mXQ Beauty and Virtue, p. I0l*l49b

Moral Ohligation. 179

doctrine, t hat the mo ral sense is ^n in -
s tinctive principle ; and, agreeably to this
idea, affirms, * that moral obligation is a

* relation which every one understands,

* biit is too simple to admit of logical de-

* finition.'*

4. Dr. Price is of opinion, that * right

* and wrong are simple ideas acquired by

* the understanding,' which he maintains
to be a distinct source of perceptions.
That virtue is right, and ought to be prac-
tised, is self-evident; also that vice is wrong,
and ought to be avoided. The perception
of this truth constitutes moral obligation,
without any prospect of advantage, or re-
ference to any other consideration. — * The

* question,' he says, * why we ought to

* do what is right, is identical and ab-

* surd.'f

5. Mr. Wollaston places virtue in a re-
gard to truth. He supposes that all volun-
tary actions have a language : that when
this language is agreeable to truth, the ac-

♦ Reid on tKe Active Powers, Essay iii, ch. v, vi.

f Price's Review of the principal Questions and Difficulties
in Morak, ch. i-vi.

180 Moral Obligation.

tion is virtuous; that when it implies a
falsehood, the action is vicious. ^

6. Bishop Cumberland places virtue in
benevolence, and its obligation in sel£*in*
terest. The foundation of all natural law
is this : * the greatest benevolence of every

* rational agent towards all, forms the hap-

* piest state of every, and of all the bene-

* volent, so far as it is in their power, and

* is necessarily requisite to the happieit

* sute they can attain, and therefore th&
' common good is the supreme law.' *|*

J. RuTHERFORTH places virtuc in ^ a

* wise regard to our own interest.' J

8. Browne represents virtue as consist-
ing in ' the conformity of our a£Fections

* to the public good,' or * the voluntary

* production of the greatest happiness;' and
places the obligation to virtue in the feel-
ing of immediate, or in the prospect of fu*^
ture happiness, ^

* Religion of Nature Delineated, p. 1-40.

f Cumberland's I^aw of Nature, ch. i, sect. iv.

t Essay on Virtue, p. 153-157, and I95-209.

j Brpwoe 00 tb^ Cbani^eristics, No. n, ^ect. iii*vL

Moral Obligation. 181

9. Dr. Adam Smith places the vircue or
▼ice of an action in the suitableness or un-
suitableness, die proportion or dispropor-
tion, which the affection from which it
proceeds bears to the cause or object which
excites it ; and the merit or demerit of the
action consists in the beneficial or hurtful
nature of the effect which the affection
aims at, or tends to produce.

Sympathy, according to him, is the on-
ly criterion of virtue. We can use no rule
to judge of the proportion of an affection,
but by the corresponding afiection in our-
selves. Whatever .appears to be the proper
object of gratitude, appears to deserve re-
ward ; and whatever appears to be the pro-
per object of resentment, appears to deserve
pimishment. *

16. Mr, Hume represents * personal

* merit as consisting altogether in the pos-

* session of mental qualities, useful or agree-
^ able to the person himself or to others.

* Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments, part i, ch. ii, sect,
ii ; part iij ch. h sect, i, ii.

M 3

182 Moral Obligation.

* The source of moral approbation*' he
says, * is a natural principle of benevolence,
' common to all mankind, and extending
^ to the actions and conduct of persons the

* most remote-

* The tendency of virtue to promote the

* true interest of each individual, consti*

* tutes our interested obligation to it.'

* RfiASoN may instruct us concerning !

* the tendencies of actions, but it is not
^ alone su£^cient to produce moral blame

* or approbation : this is the province of

* humanity^ '^

1 1. According to Dr. Hartley, the ruk
of life is * compliance with the will of

* God. The will of an infinitely benevQ-

* lent Being must be the love of God and

* our neighbour, with moderation in all

* selfish, enjoyments/

Virtue in creatures is founded in the
love of God ; which Hartley defines to be

* a pleasing affection towards a Being infi.-i

^ ,— : . .

^ Hume's Essays^ voL ii, Ess. ix> Appendix i^

Moral Obligation. 183

* nitc in knowledge, power, and goodness ;

* who is also our Friend and Father/ *

12. Dr. Paley defines virtue, * doing

* good to mankind, in obedience to the

* will of God, and for the sake of everlast-

* ing happiness/

* The good of mankind is the subject,

* the will of God is the rule, and everlast-

* ing happiness the motive of human vir»-
' tue.'

* To be obliged is to be urged by a vio-

* lent motive, resulting from the command
' of another/

* The will of God is to be discovered

* either by nis express declarations, or by

* the tendency of the action to promote or }
^ diminish the general happiness.' f . '

* • . • •

13, Mr. Cooper puts the question, * Why

* do you act thus ?' And he answers, * Be-

* Hartley, part ii, ch. iii ; Introduction, sect. vii.
f Paley's Mord^and Political Philosophy, book i, ch« vii ;
Ibook ii, ch. i-v.

184 Moral Obligation.

* cause it is conducive to my happiness on
' the whole.' *

14. Mr. GisBORijrE states, that ' the

* primary end of the being of every man

* is to promote and secure his own final

* happiness.'

* That this object cail be attained by

* no odier method than by obedience to

* the vnll of his Maker.'

* That promoting the welfare of his fcl-

* low-creatures, and their present happiness
^ is a subordinate purpose, conducive to

* the principal end of existence. '

That every man has (:ertain natural
rights , and that ^ he sins against God, who

* either deprives another of his rights un-
^ justly, or who does not act in such a man-

* ner, with respect to the use, defence, and

* disposal of his rights, as he is of opinion

* will, upon the whole, fulfil most eSectu-

* ally the purposes of his being.' f

* Cooper's Tracts, No. i, p. 66, &c.

t Gisbome's Principlea of Moral Philosophy, ch, Uir^

Moral Obligation. 185

15. Mr. Godwin assumes justice as a
^ general appellation for all moral duty«^

He defines justice to be * that impartial
' treatment of every man in matters that
' relate to his happiness, which is measur-

* ed solely by a consideration of the pro-

* perties of the receiver, and the capacity

* of him that bestows.' *

16. Many writers place virtue in the

* imitation of God ;' many in * obedience
' to the will of God ;' and many in • uti-

* lity' or ' expedience.' f

* God¥rin*8 Political Justice, book ii, ch. iS, p. 126, 127*
f The reader will find remarks upon these dx£Ferent Theo«

rie6> in Belsham's * Elements of the Philosophy of the Miad«

^ and of Moral Philosophy,' pp. 418-447.

THE

CHARACTER OF THE UPRIGHT.

PSALM xyiii, 23.

I was also upright before him*

It is comfortable to reflect, that whatever
is oaost valuable, is generally most easily
trfciderstood. The truths, for instance, in-
dissolubly connected with the right regula-
tion of our conduct, are so clear that they
can scarcely be mistaken. They are so
very plain, that it is almost impossible for
the simplest mind to plead ignorance of
them. They are engraven on the tablets
of our hearts : they are written in the
Scriptures, and expressed there in the most
perspicuous terms, — ^Of these terms, none

The Character of the Upright. 187

is more persjpicuous, and at the same time
more significant than the term uprightness.
Hence, the pious Psalmist here employs it,
to mark his innocence and prevailing at-
tachment to the cause of God and good-
ness, when he was unjustly persecuted by
his foes. — * The Lord/ saith he, * reward-

* ed me according to my righteousness :

* according to the cleanness of my hands

* hath he recompensed me ; for I have kept

* the ways of the Lord, and have not wick-

* edly departed from my God ; for all his
^ judgments were before me, and I did not

* put away his statutes from me/ — And
this he adds, as th^e sum of his devout
profession, — * I was also upright before

* him/

But here, it might be said, how could
David dare to make this profession ? Is it
not well known, that he deviated widely
from the . path of uprightness ? Did he not
sin grossly both against God and man?
How then could he speak of his rectitude ?
How could he triumph before God and say,
\ — * I was — upright before him.'

Perhaps, David here alludes^ not so

188 The Character of the Upright.

much to his general character, as to a par-
ticular instance of his conduct, when his
conscience was uncommonly tender and
vigilant — Saul, his wicked and implacable
adversary, was, at one time, so complete-
ly delivered into his hands, that he could
as easily have cut off his head, as he did

* cut off the skirt of his robe.' But David
was not unprincipled enough to avail him-
self of this opportunity, even against his
malignant foe, * The Lord forbid/ says
he, * that I should do this thing unto my

* Master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch
^ forth mine hand against him, seeing he

* is the anointed of the Lord/* He mag-
nanimously spared Saul, and would not by
such an unrighteous act, obtain the king-
dom, though he was elected to it by the
Almighty himself. How naturally then,
is David led here, to contrast the conduct
of his enemies with that of his own !•—
Tbey acted a base and cruel part j but he
acted with all the generous heroism of a
servant of God. Though guilty other-
wise, here he could * wash his hands in

* Samuel xxivy 6*

The Character of the Upright. 18S|

^ innocence/ and solemnly protest that he
was * upright/

But this declaration will appear to be
just, even though we suppose it to refer to
the Psalmist's general character. We have
high authority for saying that he was * a

* man after God's own heart.' * The Holy
Scriptures testify that * he did that which

* was right in the eyes of the Lord, and
turned not aside from any thing that he

* commanded him, all the days of his life,

* save only in the matter of Uriah the Hit-

* tite.' f — And when this iniquity did pre-
vail against him, (who is without sin ?)
he was even upright in confessing it. Far
from trying to conceal, he was ever ready
to acknowledge his guilt; he * sorrowed

* for it after a godly sort/ — and * brought

* forth fruits meet for repentance.' Con-
sciousness of this could not fail to revive,
to exhilarate, and strengthen his contrite
mind. He dried up his tears j trusted in
God, and * wearied not in well-doing.'
David then declared the truth, when, upon
a retrospect of his past life, he thus ex-

* 1 Samuel xiii, 14. f 1 Kings xv, 5,

190 The Character of the Uptight .

pressed himself in the presence of the Su-
preme, — * I was upright before him/

I SHALL now endeavour, ^irst^ briefly
to delineate the character of the upright*
Next, to point out some marks by which
we may know whether we ourselves actual*-
ly possess it : And, lastly, to adduce a
few considerations to excite in all of us,
an earnest desire to cultivate and improve
it.

I AM, FiRST^ briefly to delineate the cha-
racter OF THE UPRIGHT. — Uprighmesft
is not now a native attribute of the human
mind, but produced by the regenerating
influence of the Spirit of God. It is the
special inspiration of Him from whom

* Cometh down every good and every per-

* feet gift.' It is necessary thus to advert
to its origin, to prepare us for receiving
juft and accurate notions of its nature-
Uprightness is not an insulated grace, but
a principle which mingles with, animates
and dignifies all our graces. It has tHc
same meaning, we know, with sincerity ;
with integrity and honour, and stands di-
rectly opposed to that dissembling, treach-

The Character of the Upright. 191

•
erous, fraudulent spirit, which is so often
observable in the men of the world. They
generally have no sense of true dignity,
but are directed merely by views of pe-
cuniary advantage. They have no prin-
ciples of virtue, but act in such a manner
only, as best suits their present conveni-
ence. If they do what is just and right, it
is not because they think it is their duty,
but because they think it is necessary to
preserve their reputation, and favourable
to the prosrecution of their schemes. But
diflPerent, widely diflPerent is the character
of him who is truly upright. He perceives
the eternal and immutable distinction be-
tween right and wrong, and is impressed
with a deep sense of the indispensable ob-
ligation under which every reasonable be-
ing lies to shun the latter, and, with * full
* purpose of heart,' to cleave to the former.
He therefore abominates from his inmost
soul every species of injustice, hypocrisy,
and fraud. By candour, sincerity, and truth
alone, he resolves to regulate his conduct.
— But we shall have a fuller and more dis-
tinct idea of his character, if we take a
particular view of it, as it respects his
Maker, himself, and his brethren.

192 2%c Charactef of the Upright.

In his intercourse with God he is faiths
ful, fervent, and sincere. The hypocrite
a£fects to serve God only to ^ be seen o^
* men.' The formalist worships him only
because it is the custom of the country in
which he dwells. But none of these dis->
honest ends ; none of these imworthy views
directs the mind of the upright man. He
knows that his Creator is not only holy^
but omniscient, and consequently that it
is impossible that by any thing he can ever
be deceived. He knows that his Creator
is the searcher of heartSy and that in every
case he must distinguish between appear-
ance and reality. He therefore approaches
him, not from ostentation or from form,
but from a deep-felt conviction that it is
just and * comely so to do.' — While he
puts on the form of godliness, he at the
same time feels its power. — The bended
knee significantly marks the contrition of
his spirit \ the exalted voice is a true em-
blem of the fervour of his desires, and the
lifting up of his hands, a just and unfeign-
ed expression of the uplifted and heavenly
aflPections of his soul And as he thus de-
tests the cold indifference of the formalist^
and the hypocritical rigidity of the Phari-

The Character of the Upright. 193

see, he no less detests the profane looseness
of the multitude who walk at random, and
have not * God in all their thoughts.'—
He is shocked with their guilt, grieves for
their folly, and thus fervently supplicates
in their behalf; — * Have mercy upon them,

* O God! — Create in them clean hearts,

* and renew right spirits within them !' *

But the upright man is not only sincere
and faithful towards God ; he is equally so
in his conduct towards himself. — Instead
of endeavouring to detect their errors, and
become acquainted with the real state of
their minds, the greater part of the world
seem rather desirous to continue ignorant
of their errors, and diligent in the use of
every mean for producing self^deceptioxu
The very reverse of this, however, can be
affirmed of him who is upright. He never
dreads retirement nor declines communing
with himself. On the contrary, all his con-
clusions are the result of deliberate inquiry,
and his practice the effect of a thorough
conviction of what is right. It is his fer-
vent desire to deal fairly and ingenuously
with his own mind ; to embrace and obey

* Pulm li, 1-ia

194 The Character of the Upright.

nothing but the truth ; and if he does err^
never to err from design, but from the
weakness inseparable from humanity.-—
Above all things, he is afraid of self-de-
ception J he therefore avoids the darkness ;
he * comes to the light.' He diligently
searches the book of God ; strictly com-
pares himself with its holy requisitions,
and again and again kneels and prays,

• Search me, O God, and know my heart ;

• try me, and know my thoughts, and see

• if there be any wicked way in me ; and
Mead me in the way everlasting.'*

Consider also his conduct towards his

brethren ^In all his transactions with them

he is plain and artless, candid, and incor-
rupt ; faithful to his promise, and honour-
able in the execution of his trust. He
studies to ' do justly ; to love mercy,' and
to ' speak the truth in his heart.' And
though the worthless should lay all their
deepest plans, and use all their slyest in-
sinuations to seduce his integrity, yet, with
a manly fortitude, he resists the power of
their temptations, and the deceitfulness of

FssUn Qxxxix^29, 24.

The Character of the Upright. 195

their, speech—^* Never/ saith he, * let iny

* lips speak wickedness, nor my tongue ut-
' tcr deceit. My righteousness, may Ihold?

* fast, and never let go j may my heart
.* not reproach me so long as I live/

. . . ' • .

Many infirmities and sins, however, not-
withstanding all his holy diligence, still ad*
here to him. He has ' not yet attained :'

* he is not already perfect/ Bat whenever
he fa lls into error, or is siujgHsed into sin,
he mourns over his wickedness and cruilt :

*'* ^ ' ■* *i ^ ^

prays fervently for pardonmK mercy: and
g race to help him in future , to be more
vigilant and stedf3ist.-i:-.His settled and pre^
vailing bent is, undoubtedly to that which
is holy, and just, and good. His uniform
desire and endeavour is, to abstain from
th e very appearance o f evil', and to * live so-

* berly, righteously, and godly, in this pre-

* sent world, looking for that blessed hope,

* and/ the glorious, appearing of tiie^^ great
•* God and our Saviour Jesus: Christ, ^^o
^ g»?e himself for us-that he might redeem us

* from all iniquity, and purify unto himself

* a peculiar people, zeilous of good works.'*

i—^i*<i^ 1 1 1

* Tifai H; 12,-13, 14. ■

1.^6 "the Character of the Upright.

Such is the character of him whom we
denominate upright. And let us beware of
t:onsidering it as merely an ideal one : I
trust that, b ad^ aj the world is^ we may fre-
quently meet with it in real life, — ^Let mo
now then proceed to point out some marks
by which we may know whether we our-
selves actually possess it*

With this view, we should make these
inquiries :.^Ts our uprightness iNTELLt-

GENT ?— Is it UNIFORM AND UNRESERVED ?—
Is it EASY AND CHEERFUI^ ? Is it PERSEVER -*

I NG AND ra jX yRESs ivE ? — ^These various qua-
lities must characterise it, if it be genuine
and acceptable to God.

Is it INTELLIGENT? Witbout knowledge
there can be no true uprightiiess. Upright-
ness implies a love and choice of a parti-
cular course of conduct, and consequently
an abhorrence and rejection of its opposite.
It necessarily involves the idea of decided
. preference ; but we can never justly pre-
fer what we do not understand. Under-
standing is absolutely necessary to consti-
tute us moral agents, and the more our
understandings are improved, the better ar

The Character of the Upright. I97

vc'e fitted to rise in moral excellence. Hence,
our whole duty is often denominated w/V-
dom amd understanding. * The fear of the
^ Lord^' saith the Psalmist, ^ is the begin*
^ ning of wisdom ; a good understanding
^ have all they that do his command*

* ments%** — And, • wisdom,' ssdth Solo-
mon, ^ is the principal thing ; therefore

* get wisdom; and with all thy getting,

* get understanding/ f — ^We must under-
stand our relation to God ; our relations to
one another, and' the various duties to
which these relations give rise. Without
tins understanding our uprighmess is but
apparent, not real ; but temporary, not
lasting. We shall be inveigled by * the de-
^ ceitfulness of sin:' we cannot stand in the
hour of temptation : w6 cannot say (with
David), in the sight of God, — ^ I was up-

* right before him.^

Is our uprighmess uNtFORM and unre-
served ? — ^Are we not partial in our obe-
dience ? Is it our heart's desire to observe
all the commandments, and to observe them

as conscientiously when in pnvate as when

■ - ■ __^^^.......^^_^, — ^ — ,. — — __

• Psalm caji, 10. f PW>?. it, 7.

198 The Character of the Upright.

in public ; when under the veil of dark*
ness as when in the face of day ? This must
be the case, if we have genuine upright-
ness. For whatever reason there is for con-
forming to one part of the law, there doubt-
less is for conforming to the whole. AH the
parts of the law arc promulgated by the
same authority, and demand the same scru-
pulous regard. He then who indulges in
the habitual breach of any divine precept,
or the obstinate retention of any bosom
vice, demonstrates that had he equal temp-
tations to transgress in every other instance,
he would certainly do it^ and become total-
ly abandoned. He demonstrates that there
is something within him stronger than the
love of virtue; something which prevents
her from the possession of her rightful as-
cendency. It is obvious, therefore, that
such a one (his attentions being but par-
tial), cannot be reckoned her faithful vot-
ary* For such is her nature that she ad-
mits of no rival. He loves her not at all,
who Ipves her not supremely. — ^What then
is the prevailing temper of our mind ? Are
we careful not to attend to any one duty
tp the neglect of others ? Besides being re-
gular in our external deportment, do we

The Character of the Upright. 199

wideavour likewise to govern our hearts ?
Do we not only per^rm right actions, but
feel ourselves actuated by right principles ?
And do these principles impel us to a
general, unlimited obedieiice ? Are both
the first and second tables of, the law the
objects of our devout attention ? Are wc
not only pious, but just, and sober, and
humane ? While we are zealous to worship
God, are we no less zealous to discharge all
the duties which we owe to our brethren ?
-r-In short, ^ whatsoever things are true,

* whatsoever things are venerable, whatso-

* ever things are just, whatsoever things are -

* pure, whatsoever things are lovely, what*

* soever things are of good reports $ if there
^ be any virtue,, and if there be any praise,' *>
do we * think on these things,', . atid make
it our constant study to practise them ? —
Unless we do so, we are not yet reconciled
to God ; we cannot say, — * We are upright

* before him.*

But let us also inquire if our upright-
ness be EASY AND CHEERFUL ? — Love to God-
is the grand principle of uprightness : * this

Fhilippians iv; 8<

»! t'

[

200 The Character of the Upright.

* is the love of God,' saith the Apostle
John, ' that we keep Ins commandments i

* and if we love Gk>d, welhaU not feel hid

* commandments grievous/ We shall not
obey like slaves from compulsion^ or serv--
ants who work for hire, but like children
from ingenuous afiection. The tender mercy
of God towards us, particularly the un-
searchable riches of his grace displayed in
our redemption by Christ, will operate on
every finer feeling of the heart, and prompt
us to the performance o( every good work,
— •* Bless the Lord,' shall we say,'— • bless
' the Lord, O our souls, aiul forget not all

* his benefits. — ^We have chosen his pre-

* cepts : no other lords shall have domt-

* nion over us.— Whom can we desire be-

* sides him ? He is the strength of our

* heart and our everlasting portion. — ^He is

* the Author of Nature, the Parent of life,

* the Standard of beauty, the inexhaustible

* Fountain of perfection and happiness/-^*
Without some experience of this kind, well
may a man suspect his principles both of
morality and religion. While his duty is
irksome and disagreeable to him, he has
but little reason to think that he is yet • re-
' newed in the spirit of his niind,'---he ia

The Character of the Upright. 201

^ far from God^' he cannot say, ^ I am

^ upright before him/

I ADD) in the last place^ that true up-«
tightness is not only intelligent, uniform
and unreserved, easy and cheerful, but al-
so ^^^^J^^^i^^i!^;^^

rightnes^ is a habit, and, like all odiier ha-
bits, gains strength by time and exercise.
If then we exercise upright principles (and
we cannot have them if we do not exercise
diem)) they must be perpetually on the in-
crease* The Spirit of God who produces
them does not lie dormant* The better
mind with which he inspires the Ufnight
incites them to incessant improvement*
The new nature which they put on, ever
pants after perfection* They * add to thdur
^ faith, virtue ; and to virtue, knowledge;
^ and to knowledge, temperance ; and to
^ temperance, patience } and to patience,
^ godliness ; and to godliness brotherly
^ kindness, and to brotherly kindness,
^ charity; and these things being in
^ them and aboimding, they make them
* neither barren nor unfruitful in the
^ knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.'*^—
• — ■ - ■ - - - i 11-""

? 3 Peter 1, 5, 6, 7, St

202 The Character of the Upright*

Now, is this our case ? Is this our fervent
desire? Is this our habitual temper and
character ? Are we never content with pre-
sent acquisitions, but always aspiring after
higher and higher degrees of moral exceU
lence? Arc we like the Apostle Paul?—

* Forgetting those things which are bc-

* hind, and reaching forth unto those

* things which are before, do we press to-

* ward the mark, for the prize of the high

* calling of God in Christ Jesus ?' * If WC'

do, then blessed is our state. To us * there;

* is no condemnation/ We are the favour^'
ites of God : He pronounces us * upright

* before him/

Having thus endeavoured to delineate
the character of the upright, and to point
out some marks by which we may know
whether we ourselves actually possess it ;
I shall now adduce a few considerations to
excite in all of us an earnest desire to cul-
tivate and improve it.

By cultivating and improving the prin-
ciples of uprightness, we shall have honour;

* Philippians iii| 13> 14.

The Character of the Upright. 203

^e shall have consolation ; we shall have
happiness.

We shall have honour. That only dc-

-scrves the epithet honourable which all

the wise and good agree to honour^ and

which God himself delighteth to honour.

•Now, what can lay such a claim to this

character as uprightness? Other qualities

we possess in some measure in common

with the inferior animals ; but this is our

iiittinguisbed iexcellence. it raises us above

the earth ; it allies us to angels ; it makes

us * workers together with God,*-^8ublime

promoters of the order and felicity of the

universe. — Hav€ we then any wish to be

truly great ; any sacred ambition to be

lastingly honoured ? Our wish, our ambi-

<tion, shall be fully gratified, if we only

strive to be more and more * upright ^ to

be consistently and thoroughly good ; to

be ^ always abounding in the work of the

* Lord'

We shall have not only honour, but in
the most distressful scenes, rich consola-
tion. While in the hour of disappoint-
ment and sorrow, of disease and death, the

204 The Character of the Upright.

wicked arc fearful and trembling, wc have
cause to * rejoice in hope/ God is our
Father and our Friend. He ' loveth righte-
^ ousness ; his countenance doth behold

* the upright/ * Thus enjoying his pro-
tection and favour, of what should we be
afraid \ Under the divine governmentt all

/ things, whether joyous or grievous, shall

* work together for our good/~Wc nat«
both the pleasing * testunony of our con^
^ science/ at present, and also the 6ood^
ing, animating prospect of an eternal re-
ward. — ^Wc are * justified by faith, and
^ have thence peace with God through our

* Lord Jesus Christ/ f — Nothing — ^ neither
^ death nor life, nor angels, nor principaH-

* ties, nor powers, nor things present, nor
^ things to come, nor height, nor depdi,
' nor any other creature shall be able to

* separate us from the love of God which

* is in Christ Jesus our Lord/ % — ^Who then
has any value for honour ? — ^Who has any
wish for consolation in the * time of need?*
— Let him hear and obey this voice from
heaven, — * I am the Almighty God, walk

* before me and be thou perfect/ §

* Psalm xi, J. f Rom. v, 1. % Rom. viii, 3S, Sg.
{ Gen. xvii> l'.

The Character of the Upright. 205

But the ' upright' have more than ho*
notur and consolation ; they have pure and
POSITIVE HAPPINESS. If happiness means, as
it must mean, a state in which all cur law*
fid desires aregratijied.-^hxid, ifthefavourand
friendship of God alone can yield this grati-
Hcation, then the * upright' not only have
much happiness here, but shall have infi-
nitely greater happiness hereafter. As sure
as God exists ; as sure as he governs the
world ; as sure as vice is odious, and virtue
acceptable in his sight, so sure it is that the
wicked * shall be punished with evcrlast-

* ing destruction from the presence of the

* Lord, and from the glory of his power/*
and the * upright' made resplendent * a$

♦ the sun in the kingdom of their Father.' \
It is impossible to describe, or even to con-
ceive that * fulness of joy' which awaits
them. This only * we know, that when

• Christ, who is their life, shall appear,

• they shall be like him, for they shall see
< him as he is.' % — ^They shall dwell in his
light : be completely changed into his image,
and reign with him for ever and ever.

^ ^

* 2 Thess. i, 9. f Matth. xiii, 43. J 1 Jqhn iii 2,

206 The Character of the Uprightl

Now since these things are so, * what

* manner of persons ought we to be in all
^ holy conversation and godliness!' Should
we not ^ fear the Lord and serve him in

* sincerity and truth ?' — Yes, we should
give no * sleep to our eyes or slumber ta

* our eye-lids/ till we have the witness
within ourselves that we are * upright.'—
But let us remember that none can become*

* upright' by any efforts made in his own
strength. Uprightness^ Yiktfaitby its origin^

* is the gift of God.' The agency of his
holy Spirit is absolutely necessary to illu-
minate and rectify the mind. — * No man/
(said even a heathen,*) * becomes good

without the divine influence. No man
can rise above the infirmities of nature
unless aided by God. He inspires great
and noble purposes. In every good man
God resides. The strength which ren-
ders a man superior to all those things
which the people either hope or dread,
' descends from him. So lofty a structure
cannot stand unsupported by the Divi-
nity.' — These, though the words of a
heathen, are in strict accordance with the

* Senecju

The Character of the Upright. 20Y

dictates of revelation. * In us, that is, in
our flesh, dwelleth naturally no good
thing. — Every good gift, and every per-
fect gift, is from above, and cometh down
from the Father of lights—Without Him

we can do nothing ^His Spirit must help

our infirmities. — ^His strength must be
made perfect in our weakness.' — Every
upright' man is * his workmanship, creat-
ed in Christ Jesus unto good works.* —
We should pray, then, to God for the suc-
cours of his grace Our fervent prayer

shall not be rejected. They who ' ask shall

* receive : they who seek shall infallibly

* find. — They that wait upon the Lord shall

* renew their strength ; they shall mount
' up as on eagle wings ; they shall run and

* not be weary; they shall walk and not be

* faint. — ^They are made strong in the Lord

* and in the power of his might.' — They
can look into their own hearts and not be
afraid ; they can meet with confidence the
eyes of their fellow-men ; with humble
boldness they can meet even God in the

judgment And here the language of the

Psalmist is so striking and so apposite, that

with it I shall conclude this dissertation

[ Lord ! who shall dwell in thy tabernacle ?

208 The Character of the Upright.

• Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He

• that walketh uprightly and workcth righ-
^ teousness and speaketh the truth in his
^ heart ^He that doeth these things shall

• never be moved/ *

■^tp

* Ptalmxv, I>2*5.

tHB

SECURITV OF THE UPRlQIiT.

PK6Y. X, $.
tie thiai vbatketh uprightly watketh surety^

jLHis /excelleiit masum of Soldmoq. deaervljat
our serious .^ikI hi^bitual at;teiition. Amid
the manifold varieties of life we ishall have
frequent Qcca^ioa to experience its import-^
ance jind utility* In seasons of doubt ^d
difficulty } of trial and dismay, the honest
mind may derive much consolation and
strength from reflecting that — bcw^ walk-
etb uprightly walketh surely. Whatever opi-
nions be true, and whatever events may
befaly he is^ at least, safe ; he can suffer no
real loss, and he is likely to have unspeak-
able gain.

210 The Security of the Upright.

But by some it may be said, why should
our duty be recommended to us by such
an inferior consideration ? Why say no^
thing more for the path of uprightness
than merely that it is a safe path ? Is not
this the language of hesitation rather than
of faith, and would it nbt have a much
better eflfect to declare at once the whole
truth ; — to declare that be who walketb up^
rightly walketb so as not only to secure in-
fallibly all that is good for us on earth,
but likewise all the glories of the kingdom
of heaven ?

To this I answer, that we know and are
persuaded that obedience is necessarily con-
nected with happiness. Obedience, though
not the procuring cause of happiness, is
certainly the qualification which fits us for
enjoying it : and if we really possess this
qualification, we shall assuredly obtain the
heavenly reward. This the gospel declares;
and by the death and resurrection of its
Author, the Lord Jesus Christ, we are con-
firmed in the blessed * hope set before us/
— But still we are warranted to maintain,
that obedience or uprightness is of such in-
finite consequence that it deserves to be re-

The Security df the Upright. ^11

TDinmended by every consmeration. Why
not then recommend it from its safety f
Why not remind the good man, that on
whatever side the truth lies, and whatever
be the final issue of things, be treads upon
sure ground, and can never lose by his good*
ness. This is certainly a most important
idea/ which can never be too deeply im-
pressed upon the mind.— -Who knows idiat
awaits him in life ?-^From the state^f . our
animal spirits, or from ^ the cunning cirafti-*

* ness of those who lie in wait to deceive J^
we may often be tempted to doubt of many
truths which are now dearest to our hearts,
and cease to derive consolation from them ;
but almost never can we have a doubt of the
truth of this maxim, * He that walketh

* uprightly walketh surely.' — All that I
now purpose is, after briefly explaining
the words of the maxim, to illustrate and
establish the sentiment which it contains.

To waliy often means, in Scripture lan-
guage^ to pursue a particular course of
conduct. Thus to walk honestly ; or to walk
deceitfully^ means to lead a good or a bad
life. Enoch is said to have * walked with

God;' that is j to nave lived conscienti-

312 fh€ Security of the Upright.

ouslyand. piousfyin his geiieration. He
vrho hatedi his brother, is said by S\ Joho^
to ^ wal^ in darkness;* that is, he sins
against the light ; acts coatrary to his own
interest 4 offciids God, and disgraces the
gospei. M fif^ordingiy, to wali uprigbtfy^ is
to end^anrour habitually to keep impres-
skms xU^ duty strong upon the naind ; tx>
aroid as much as possible, the pollutions
of the i^^rld ; to render to all ' their dues ;'
to f do good as we have opportunity;' to
^ fear die Lord and serve him in sincerity

* and truth.' — In one word, to * live sober*

* Jy» righteously, and godly, in this pre-

* sent world.'— He that thus * walketh up-

* rifghtly walketh surely.^ He acts a safe
part : happen what will, he need &ar no
evil: he hazards nothing, and has the
prospect of ptining every thing. At all
events, his is a prudent choice, — a choice
of which he will never have the least rea-
son to repent.

To lUustriAe and establish this point is
what I Aiefly purposed. And^ with this
view, I shall oon^xAtx uprightness in regard
both to the life which now is, and to that
which is to come. lo the present life^ up^

The Security of the Upright . 2 13

rlgbtntss yields to its possessor peac? and
enjoyment of mind : — it tends to 8cc\ire to
him the friendship and esteem of his fellow,
creatures • — and it gives him the best chancQ
for success and prosperity in his worldly
concerns.

Uprightness yields to its possessor

PEACE AND ENJOYMENT OF MINP. — W^

are so constituted by our Creator, that
when we do well, we experience the purest
pleasure. We feel that we have endea-
voured to do our duty, and we enjoy self-
approbation. Whatever may befal, we ^au
pass the time present with comfort, an4
look forward to the future with confidftQC^
and hope. But, if on the other hand, we
are conscious of having habitually 4o9e
evil : of having lived in the open violation,
or even neglect, of our duty, we are sub-
jected to self-condemnation : we carry al^out
with us a constant sense of ill-desert) and
involuntary anticipations of ftiture punish-
ment. Hence it is> that the unrighteous
enjoy so little peace : are filled with such
alarms, and haunted with such remorse.
The simple whom they have beguijiedf the
innocent whom they have becrayed, th?

214 The Security of the Upright.

poor whom they have oppressed, and the
friendless whom they have undone, rise up
in terrible array before thera, upbraid them
for their guilt, and * torment them before
* the time.* Thus disquieted within, no-
thing external can give them ease : thus
made miserable by themselves, none in the
world can make them happy.*— But up-
rightness shields her adherents from all
this dreadful evil, and rewards them with
the best blessing, — the gratulation of their
own minds. * Void of oflFence/ they can
possess their souls in peace : they have no-
thing to dread from either God or man.
But the unprincipled and unjust are harass-
ed with the constant dread of man as well
as of Gk)d. They are not only pained with
the stings of remorse, but ever afraid also
lest the crimes which occasion that remorse
should become known to the world. Sen-
sible that they have justly incurred the dis-
approbation of all the wise and the good,
they suspect every one, and every one sus-
pects them. Of course they are obliged to be
incessantly on their guard; to rack their in-
vention to contrive how their evil deeds may

* Nemo malus felix : minime corruptor, &c. jut.
Negat Epicurus jucuade vivi possei nisi cum virtnte vha-
tur. cic.

The Security of the Upright. 215

escape detection ; or if detected, whi^t arts
they shall practise to evade that public dis-
grace and punishment which they deserve*
— ^In strong contrast with these dark deceit*
ful children of the devil, is the state of the
man who walks uprightly. He is clothed in
the garb of simplicity, and adorned with
all the glory which his innocence can shed
around him. He therefore proceeds on his
way rejoicing; he shuns no discovery, and
fears no harm. And why should he, when
it is his constant and his axixious care to
commit no wrong ?

And while his uprightness thus yields
him peace and enjoyment in his own
mind, it likewise tends to secure to him

THE FRIENDSHIP AND ESTEEM OP HIS FEL-
LOW-CREATURES ^This assuredly is* its

tendency ; for scarcely ever do we behold
upright and virtuous actions without feel-
ing benevolent a£Fection towards him who
performs them. We cannot help being im-
pressed with a sense of hir worth ; and are
therefore naturally desirous to promote his
happiness. And not content with indul-
ging these feelings towards him ourselves,
we naturally seek to excite the same love

216 The Security cf the Upright.

and affection for him in the breasts of
others. Nay, if i*'c concealed his worth j if
wc even did n6t embrace every proper op.
portunity of giving him his merited praise,
we should be conscious of injustice in thus
suppressing the spobtaneous language of
the hearts To be satisfied of this, let us
consult not only the constitution of our
own minds, but look also abroad into the
world, and observe the dispositions of our
brethren. We shall generally find them
taking a direction similar to our own. Wc
shall find almost all men giving the up-
right and conscientious a decided prefer-
ence to the fraudulent and flagitious. While
the latter are detested and despised, the
former are beloved and respected. Behold
the reverential awe with which their words
are heard, and their opinions received! See
the wise courting theit friendship ; the poof
applying for theit aid ; the friendless and
forlorn seeking; their advice, and the widow
and the fatherless craving their protection !
Let us duly consider tiiis, and we shall
thence be persuaded that the way of up-
rigbtrtesJ' is thp only way to obtain the Ipy?
;ind esteem of our fellow-creatures.

The Security of the Upright. 217

And if we be persuaded that upright-
ness is the only Way to procure love and
esteem, it will require but very little to sa-
tisfy us, that it is likewise the only sure
and direct way to success and prosperItit
IN our worldly coNCtRNS. For if a man
be found base and treacherous, he must,
in the natural course of things, have but
little chance for advancement in the world.
As a neighbour he will be scorned j as a
man of business, discouraged and avoid-
ed; and as a friend, forsaken and contemn-
ed* — But he who, in the midst of corrup-
tion, keeps himself pure, and among tempt-
ations to villany and injustice can walk
uprightly, meets with none of these obstruc-
tions and inconveniencies in his way. His
path to prosperity is^ of all others, the most
^ure, direct^ and even. Those who, like
liimself, ivali upHghtfyj ate eager to bring
him forward j arid the unprincipled, re-
buked by his virtue, are afraid to keep him
back. Nothing generally occurs to retard
his progress i but all things tend to pro-
mote his interest, and manifestly conspire
to do hito good. .^ But though we affirm
that virtue thus naturdlly leads to temporal
success, yet We ^fe far frojn maintaining

218 The Security of the Upright.

that it leads to it universally and without ex--
ception. For while the virtuous, by \infor-
tunate times and chances, have met with
poverty and disappointment ; the worthless,
by pharisaic arts and wicked machinationsi^
have often risen to places of profit and
seats of worldly honour. — But miserable';
unspeakably miserable, are such xnen^^s
profit and honour: they are purchased at
the price of their character and peaces
they are attended with the detestatioa of
the world, the curse of heaven, and the
insupportable anguish of a guilty mind
For the most part, however, even the best
laid plans of guilt, the deepest schemes of
villany, are seen to prove abortive : or if
they happen to be successful, their success
is but of short duration. They are in the
end generally discovered, and the discovery
deservedly hurls back the hateful authocs
of them to an ignominy and wretchedness
tenfold greater than that from which they
originally sprung. But the virtuous, the
more they are known, the more they are
encouraged and esteemed, and the surer is
their rise, if their circumstances will at aU
admit of it, to opulence and renown. Well
]then, may we quote the words of the pro-

Tlie Security of the Upright. 219

phet, and apply them even to' the present
constitution of things, — ^ Say ye to the

* righteous that it (hall be well with him ;

* for he shall eat the fruit of his doings :

* woe unto the wicked ! for it shall be ill

* with him j for the reward of his hands

* shall be given him.' *

Such, we see, is the security of walking
uprightly y when considered in regard to the
life which now is j but their security will
be no less apparent, if, in the second placc^
we consider it in regard to the life which
is to come.

The present has been generally view-
ed but as the beginning of our existence,
and death as only our removal to an-
other scene. And various considerations
suggested by our own minds, independent-
ly of the discoveries of revelation, conspire
to shew that this general opinion is not the
effect of unmanly prejudice or degrading
superstition, but the genuine offspring of
reason and truth. From the operations of
the soul, (from which only we can judge
of its nature), it appears to be essentially

* Isaiah ill, 10, 11.

no The Security of the Upright.

. di£Ferent from the body. Hence we are
led to conclude, that the dissolution of the
latter does not necessarily imply the ex-
tinction of the former. Nay, from the
wonderful faculties with which the soul is
endowed, and its capacity of unlimited im-
provement and progression, we have a di-
rect and positive intimation that death is
not the end of man. On the contrary^
this earth seems to be nothing more than
the nursery of our being,— a nursery from
which we are in due time to be transplant-
ed into a purer air and a happier soil, where
our nature will appear in greater beauty,
and germinate into higher degrees of per-
fection and glory. And this well ground-
ed hope is still further confirmed by all
our worthiest conceptions of the wisdom,
and justice, and goodness of God, and
the consequent necessity of a more equal
and more perfect state of things under his
government. — These considerations, taken
in connection with the declarations of
Scripture, form a body of evidence altoge^

^ ther irresistible. The attempts of sceptics
against it are vain and nugatory. But
even suppose their attacks had been more
successful than they have ever been ; sup-»

The Security of the Upright. 22 1

pose all the reasoniogs upon which we build
our faith completely overthrown ; still the
most stubborn among them cannot have the
confidence to deny that a future state is at
kast possible : or if they have the hardihood
to pronounce it impossible} we call upon
them to point out where the impossibility
lies ? For, may not the continuance of our
being be as readily admitted as the conh>
wiencement of it? Nay, I appeal to every
candid mind if it will not be even more
readily admitted. It cannot, I allow, be
more certain ; but it is, at least, more level
/0 our apprehension ; and cannot, therefore,
with the least colour of reason be rejected
as impossible. -^Ar^ if the doctrine of a fu-
ture state, which cannot be denied to be
possible^ should, as we believe it will, turn
out to be true, there is every reason for
thinking that it will be a most momentous
state, — a state of much gKater importance
and longer duration than that in which
we are now placed. Nothing therefore can
argue greater imprudence and folly, than
not to be solicitous to make all suitable
provision for the best condition and great-
est safety in that state. And that the bes;
provision, in this case, is virtue^ or up^

222 The Security of the Upright.

rigbfness^ will not — cannot, I suppose, be
disputed. For virtue, or uprightness, is
the very image of God in our souls. It
allies us to his nature, and fits us for en«^
tering into his presence. We see him an-
nexing much comfort and happiness to it
here ; and therefore we cannot but be pro-
ceeding upon sure ground, when we infer
that he will reward and bless it in a much
more perfect manner hereafter. This is
the fond hope of nature, and it is also the
express language of Divine Revelation.—
Blessed are the righteous, for they shall,
one day, rest from their labours and their
works shall follow thefn.,.J^ye hath not seen^
nor ear heard ; neither have entered into the
heart of man the things which God hath pre*
pared for them.

But if there is a future state, we have
every reason to believe, not only that vir-
tue will be completely blessed and reward-
ed, but that vice will be publicly disgraced
and most severely and lastingly punished.
This appears certain, both from the odious
and malignant nature of vice, and the im-
partial justice and purity of God : from
the established constitution of the world j

The Security of the Upright. 223

and the awful and unavoidable apprehen-
sions of the mind under the influence of
remorse. — And here too Christianity comes
in to confirm the presages of conscience
and the conclusions of reason. — The wick-
4tdy saith the Gospel, shall receive their
just recompence of indignation and wratb ;
tribulation and anguish. They shall be ex-
cluded the presence of God : shut out from
the mansions of heaven, and tormented in
bell with the devil and bis angels. While the
upright are welcomed into the abodes of
fcliss, those shall sink into ruin, and have
their part in the lake which burneth with fire
and brimstone^ which is the second death.— ^
All this, I know, the obstinately wicked,
may, in the madness of their impiety,
lampoon as the invention of politicians, the
ravings of enthusiasm, or the wiles of priest-
craft* — But let me seriously ask such men,
if previously to their holding this bold and
presumptuous language, they have duly
and candidly weighed all the arguments in
favour of religion, and in the scale of un-
biassed reason, found them totally want-
ing ? Can they lay their hands upon their
hearts and say, that they are absolutely cer-
tain that Christianity is false, and that a

224 The Security of the Upright.

future state of rccompence hath no exists
ence ; or though it hath existence, that vir-
tue gives us no better .chance for happiness
in it than vice ?. It would be absurd in a
sceptic (one who pretends to doubt of every
thing), positively to assert this ; ^and it may
be presumed that no man in his senses will
assert it. If all then that the uuprmcipled
can pretend to, with regard to so essential
a doctrine, be but unccrtamty^ they ought
surely to treat it, at least, with respect, aod
allow it to have some influence on their
temper and conduct. If they be not total-
ly blind to their own interest, they musjC
be sensible that they should use the pre-
caution of living so, that they may have
reason to hope ; and that though the worst
should happen, they may have nothing to
fear. Let all such then as .disregard and
wantonly scoff at religion, take heed what
they are doing. They ridicule what all
wise and good men have firmly believed,
and what they themselves are unable to
disprove. They scorn as a vain delusion
what, to say the least of it, they may find
at last, to be an awful reality. — ^While,
therefore, their wickedness affords them no
real advantage, it exposes them to the hazard

The Securiiy of the Upright. 225

^f much future loss. They have no pro-
spects of immortal happiness , and they
run the risi of indefintte and inconceivable
misery. If then, they would avoid the
odious imputation of folly ; if they would
shew themselves possessed but of a common
share of judgment and discretion, they
must instantly relinquish a course attend-
ed with so little profit, and which may sub-
ject them to such dreadful destruction.
They must henceforth choose a better part^
*— a part which, while it promises to issue
in perfect hapjHness, cflPectually secures
from final ruin. Now, every rational be-
ing must confess that virtue only is that
better and wiser part. Dispute or deny
what we will, we never can dispute or deny
this, — * That be who waJietb uprightly I (at
all events,) * walketh safely.^ For,lctiis sup-
pose his hopes to be delusive, and death
the final period of his being, which is the
worst we can suppose, still his condition is
infinitely preferable to that of the unrighte-
ous. — ^He lives with his character unstain-
ed with their infamy, and descends into
the land of forgetfulness, with his mind
unburdened with their guilt, undistracted
with their fears, and unstung with their

226 The Security of the Uprights

remorse. But if, on the other haad, hia
hopes are just ; if his religioa is true, (and
true it is as God is true)^ the superior wis-
dom of his choice is greater than it. is pos-
sible to express. — His virtue makes him
happy here, and this liappiness is but an
earnest of ^ a far more exceeding and eternal*
happiness hereafter. . Whereas the wicked
are miserable benc^ and their present misery
is: but a small dtf^ of that cup of trcmbUug
whkh is mingled for their future portion.
The /latter shall go away into everlasting pur
nisbmcnt ; but the former into life ettrnak

See then, ye lurighteous, the extreme
folly of your conduct. You are madly
flying from happiness, and labouring to^
make yourselves miserable. You are act«
ing contrary to the convictions of your
own minds, and in open defiance of the
sentiments and opinions of all around you.
And by doing this you have raised a re-
morse which stings your conscience and
exterminates your peace. You have conjur-
ed up a ghost which haunts you with every
change of place, and often forces each of you
in the bitterness of his soul to exclaim, ■■
My punishment is greater than I can bear.

The Security of the Upright ^ 227

And if there tfi9t$ auQther world^ your
condition (if ypu change ,;^ot)ia still more
deplorable, Ypiir present wretchednesa is
but the.begianii;^.of your sorrows*^ Yovpr
misery will dreadfully increase^ and jo}\r
utter ruin be ineylta^ble. — -Be wisje then be-
fore it be t09 latc^^and above allother cpn-
cerns, * mind the things w]iiich belong to
* your peace/

You again,who are enabled to be righteous,
iseeirom what ha^ been now a^Y/inced the

wi^flpn^pf Y^^^ course;, apd felicitate your-
selves upon the happiness of jrwi^^r^ choice.
I am s\ire it is a choice which needs no re-
pentance» .Hor.by yoiir vift^e^ypu^can^,.^
general, Josf nothings anfl; yout have jJ^c
. prpspect of gMnin^ infinjtely , . Whejreas,
by a. life of iiyusjtice and wickedniess you
could have. gpljten, nothing, or f|^t- least ji^ft
tp nothing, and woiil^* 1^^9 ^W^ ?h.e grey-
est possible hazard o^ /(?j/;3r^-,}}^%^tply .;, fipr
besides losing your(pr^?eftt JjfiBpin^ you
would have e^j^psjedyojifr^^ej^^Q^fViBv^Slf^

* ing destrucitix>n/^ Hpld^P^^
titude, in that R^th >xjHftp^.,|?iij^^^^^
entered; and let no temptations to plea-
sure, no false viejfys:.of interest ever draw

P 2

228 The Security of the Upright.

you aside ; but continue stedfast and pcr^
severing, forasmuch as you know that ydur
labotir, which is attended here with much
comfort, will hereafter be crowned with
unutterable glory, and, at any rate, can-*
not be in vain in the Lord. — Oh ! that men
were wise, that they would consider this,
and with a determined mind, walk up--
rightly ! — He that walketb uprightly walietb
surely.

But, while to this important maxim I
earnestly solicit the attention of all, I press
it particularly upon the young. They arc
in the beginning of life, and I would re-
mind them, * that it is of the utmost conse-
quence to begin well. This is the spring
time of their existence, smd^jisth^^
sow they shall hereafter reap. Upon the
moral and spiritual improvement which
they now ixiake, will depend the richness or
poverty of thehr future harvest. * He that
^ soweth to, his 'flesh, shall of the flesh reap

• comiption ; but he that soweth to the spi-

• rit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting.' *
Ye young, mispend not then, your precious

• GaL T% s.

The Security of the Upright. 229

time ; but diligently apply your hearts tmto
•wisdom. The solicitations of sense ; the ex-
ample of the world, and the wiles of * wick-

* ed men and seducers/ will all combine
to divert you from the right path j but
firmly resist temptation, under whatever
form it may assail you. Study to know
and to be deeply impressed with a sense of
your duty, and pray that you may be en-
abled to conform to it with a fixed resolu-
tion, and without any delay. Then fear
not, for the Lord shall be your friend, and
all you do shall finally prosper. — * The
' Lord is a sun and shield : the Lord will

* give grace and glory : no good thing will

* he withhold from them who walk up-

* rightly.'*

* Psalm kxxiv, 11.

THR

OF THE UPRIGHT.

PSALM zlixy 14.

^Tlit upright shaB have domimon aver them in the

mormng.

1 HE Upright arc those who have obtained
grace to fulfil with fidelity the various du-
ties resulting from the different relations
in which they are placed. They know what
these relations require of them, and with
a prudent, but determined mind they en-
deavour to perform it. No temptations,
however strong, can withdraw them whol-
ly from the right path. They may be oc-
casionally surprised, but they cannot be
finally overcome. They increase their
strength ; they more and more abhor that

The Final Triumph of the Upright. 231

which is evil, and cleave to that which is
^ood. Hiey ' do justly, love mercy, and
' walk humbly before God/ Their cha-
racter accordingly, is generally esteemed
even by the wicked ; but still it does not
receive, at present, all that estimation to
which it is entitled. Were it duly esteem-
ed, it would of consequence be universally
followed. But instead of this, it is often
disregarded, nay sometimes hated and de-
spised. Thanks be to God, however, that
it shall not always be so. There is a period
fast approaching when their character shall
be clearly illustrated, and their excellence

fully known * The upright shall have

* dominion — ^in the morning.'

This comfortable and important truth is
stated in a most impressive manner by the
devout Psalmist, in the passage from which
these words are taken. He takes occasion
to condemn, in strong terms, Ihe conduct
of worldly men i?^ha siet their affections
wholly on the vanities of earth and time.
— * Their way/ says he, * is folly.' — ^It
must be so, for all the things of eartlt and
time iare not only unsatisfactory, btlt fast
passing away.—* And their postfeiity,' he

232 The Final Triumph of the Upright,

adds, ' approve their sayings/ Each new
generation imitates the preceding : the chil-
dren follow the steps of their fathers : im-
taught even by their experience, they run ^
the same silly, sinful round, till death bring
them and their schemes to the same gloomy
termination — ^ Like sheep they are laid in
' the grave : death shall feed on them, and
* the upright shall have dominion over
' them in the morning.' Yes, — while the
wicked perish from the earth, and sink in-
to the abyss of destruction, th^ upright
shall rise and reign in all the felicity an4
glory of the kingdom of heaven.

There are two things here which require
our particular attention.— ^The first is, in
what respects it may be said, that at pre-
sent the upright are often depressed: The se-
cond is, upon what grounds we believe that
they shall afterwards have domimon. These
are ii^teresting topics^ a^d the illustration of
them will lead to squ^ important and use-
ful reflections,

■ ■ ■ • ■

First, then, let us consider in what re-
spects it may be saidthatit at present, ^ the
, upright' are of^ejfi 4€pre5sed. — It is utxK

The Final Triumph of the Upright ^55

doubtedly true, that even in this world,
virtue tends to secure to its possessor re*
«pect aixd happiness, and that vice equally
tends to entail upon the guilty disgrace and
misery.' So true is this, that when the vir-
tuous and vicious are, precisely, in the same
ioircwnstances, the former will, even here,
beanvariably found to have the advantage.
Yet i notwithstanding this, it would be ex-
travagant to pretend that either the one or
the otlicr receive^, at: present, completely and
without exception^ . their just irccompence.
Whatever be the tendencies of virtue and
vice, CTery wise and reflecting man must
confess that they are now often obstructed.
There are seasons when we think that ' all
* this^gs come alike to all,' and when * one
^ event seems to happen to the righteous and
' to the wicked.' Nay, the suflFerings of the

righteous are frequently the greatest

They suffer in common wsdi the rest of
mankind :-^In ^ extraordinary cases, they
sufi^r unspeakably - m'ore : — and,: eve6 in
ordinary^ cases, tljev^^ve siifferin^s pecu-
liar to them5elve8t^::xi: '.

' They ^\}Strm' common ivitb tHe' rest of
mankind. Ci« ^cir ^ ujprightbotess . always

234 The Final Triumph tfiJkf' Upright.

I
i

sliield them, while in this mixed; safe of
things, from the shafts of adyersity ? Are
they not/: like others, exposed to grievous
disappointments and losses^? Are they not;
like .others, stretched upon beds of sick*-
ness and sorrow ? Are they never left, bj
themselves , to cowit the tedious hours; and
to exclaim,-' — * Weirisome nights arc.apr

* pointed to us ?* Are they not liable >t)D
the attacks of psun ; and are they not doom*
ed to endure the pangs of dissolution ? Ah I
how many /of theniy: not withstanding ^ all
their privileges, have been led thus bitteiv
ly to complain, — * Few and evil have^the

* days of the years of. our life been ?*

Thus the upright undoubtedly suffer in
common with the witAicd. But arc there
not extraordinapy cases in which thejt: suf-
fer unspeakably > more fj Times there^^iiave
been, — may dbey ncvcTt ireturn !— when they
iiavei been defamed and persecuted even ^ for
' righteousness sake/ :Like sheep they have
been led to the slaughter, and not permit-
ted to open their mouth. . Only read the
history of the Prophets i^nd Apostles, and
of the Martyrs and Confessors of 9uccecd-p
ing ages, Thei% you wiU $nd th^t men of

The Final Triumph of the Upright. 235

whom the world was not worthy, • had
^ trial of cruel mockings aiid scourgings,

* yea, moreover, of bonds and imprison-

* ments. They were stoned, they were

* sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain

* ,with the sword ; they wandered about in

* sheepskins and goat-^skins, being desti-
^ tute, afflicted, tormented :— they wander-
^ ed in deserts and in mountains, and in

* dens and caves of the earth.* * Harmless
and excellent as they were, they were made
to endure all that the most ingenious ma-
lice could invent, or the most savage cruel-
ty inflict.

But why appeal to extraordinary cases ?
Even in the ordinary course of things, the \
upright have sore sufferings peculiar to them^ \
selves. — When they first entered the path
of duty, it was with a melancholy recol-
lection of the past. All their sins stared
them in the face : they saw the awful mag-
nitude of their guilt, and wondered at the
tender mercy of God. Poignant remorse
tortured their souls : * rivers of waters ran

* down their eyes.' And never while in this

» " '■■■ • ■ ■ . I. .

, . . .■

* J^^brews xi, 36, 37, 3B. '

236 The Final Triumph of the Uprights

world are they wholly free from exquisi^
ly painftil reflections. The more upright*
they become, the higher are their ideas of >
uprightness, and the greater difficulties do
they feel in reaching those sublime degrees^
of it after which they are constantly aspir-
ing. They are more sensible of their weak-
ness, and more anxious about the true-
state of their characters. Daily arc their ^
consciences more tender and scrupulous,'
and daily more susceptible of distress from
the slightest deviations. Their ingenuoiis
hearts feel godly sorrows which the world
knows nothing of: and these, sometimes,
so depress— so overwhelm them, that they
are forced to cry out, — ^ O wretched men

* that we are, who shall deliver us from

* the body of this death ? — ^We would not

* live dways. — Lord, save us, or we pc^^

* rish !*

And while we see the upright thus suf-
fering severely, do we not, at the same
time, see some wicked persons passing all
their days in ease and prosperity? They
are seldom or never disturbed by compunc-
tions of conscience, or by any anxiety about
^ the state of their souls. They swim with

The Final Triumph of the Vpright. 237

the current of the world : comply with its
customs, and, if in affluent circumstances,
have every thing which their hearts desire,
TTiey have healthy and vigorous bodies :
gay and thoughtless minds. They live
buoyant with false hopes, and die without
remorse or concern Are there no such in-
stances in the world ? Is all this the mere
figment of fancy ? Or is it not a just pic-
ture of human Hfe ? — So just that even
wise and good men have been sometimes
tempted to murmur at the hardships of
their lot — ^ I was envious/ said the Psalm-
ist, * at the foolish, when I saw the pro-

* sperity of the wicked ; for there are no

* bands in their death, and their prosperity
' is firm. They are not in trouble as other

* men ; neither are they plagued like other

* men. Therefore pride compasseth them
' about as a chain : violence covereth them

* as a garment. Their eyes stand out with

* fatness : they have more than heart could

* wish. They are corrupt and speak wick-

* edly concerning oppression : they speak

* loftily. They set their mouth against

* the heavens, and their tongue walketh

* through the earth And they say,

* How doth God know ? — And is there

238 The Final Triumph of the Upright.

' knowledge in the most High? Behold
' these are the ungodly who prosper in the
' world : they increase in riches. Verily
' I have cleansed my heart in vain, aiid

* washed my hands in innocency : for all
' the day long have I been plagued and
. * chastened every morning/ *

^ Well then may it be said, that * the up-

* right' are frequently depressed: let us,
therefore, secoi^lt, now consider upon
what grounds we believe that they shall
afterwards have * dominion.'

There is evidently a difference between
the actions and characters of reasonable
beings. Some are good and others bad.
This difference God, who knows all thiags,
must know most perfectly, and by his
knowledge of it, regulate his conduct to«
wards the human race. The good, he must
approve of and reward : the bad he must
discountenance and punish. It is impos-
sible that both should be equally the ob-
jects of his benevolent regard. He must
reward the one and punish the other : and

* PmIoi Ixxiiiy 3-14.

The Final Triumph of the Upright. 239

proportion too his rewards and punish-
ments to the different degrees which each
has of virtue and vice. But it is general-
ly admitted : nay, it is self-evident, that
this exact distribution does not, in every
instance, take place here. Must it not then
take place bereafier f^-^od is holy, and
just, and good, and his holiness, and jus-
tice, and goodness, require, that he should
render to every man according to his works.
It is absolutely impossible that any events,
contradictory to this, can ultimately exist
in the umverse. Such events, however, do
exist in the present world: there must then
be another world, where every irregularity
shall be rectified : where every apparent in-
consistency shall be reconciled : where the
ways of God shall be justified to men :
where all the clouds and darkness shall
vanish which now surround his throne.^
—Yes, there is a reward for the righteous :
they may now be depressed, but they shall
afterwards have * dominion.' If we deny

* If this doctrine were not true, the whole moral system
wo>ild be wrong. — Ita fit, ut si ab ilia rerum Summa, quam
superi&s comprehendimus, aberraveris ; omnis ratio intereat, et
ad nihilum reYertatur. tACTAMT. lib. vii.

240 The Final Triumph of the Uppighi,

this, then we must deny the plainest die-*
tates of reason : we must deny the divine at-
tributes : we must retreat into absolute athe-^
ism. We must admit the grossest absurdity
if we deny that * the upright shall have
* dominion in the morning.' — But here we
are not left merely to the conclusions of
fallible reason : we are favoured also with
the unquestionable testimony of the Holy
Scriptures. These expressly declare, ^ that
there shall be a resurrection of the dead^
both of the just and unjust. — ^The sign
of the Son of Man shall appean He
shall come in a cloud with power and
gr^at glory^ and all the holy Angels with
him. A great white throne shall be set,
and He shall sit thereon in his glory. Be-
fore Him shall be gathered all nations »
Books shall be opened, and the dead shall
be judged out of the things which are
written in the books. He shall separate
the righteous from the wicked, as a shep-
herd divideth his sheep from the goats :
and he shall set the righteous on his right
hand, and the wicked on his left ! Then
shall he say to them on his right hand.
Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit
the kingdom prepared for you from the

The Final Triumph of the Upright. 241

* foundation of the world. To them on
^ his left hand he shall say, Depart from

* me, ye cursed, into everlasting £b:e, pre-
^. pared for the devil and his angels ; and

* these shall go into everlasting punish-

* ment, but the righteous into life eternal.*

Thus, shall the upright have dominion
in the morning :— in that great morning,
when all that are in their graves ' shall

* hear the voice of the Son of God : and

* shall come forth j they that have done

* good unto the resurrection of life ; and

* they that have done evil unto the resur-

* rection of damnation/ *

What a comfortable doctrine ! It gives
a new colour to hiunan existence : it bright-
ens all the pleasures, and heals all the ma-
ladies of life : it opens a prospect through
the gloom of the grave, and amid all the
trials and troubles of our pilgrimage, per-
petually presents to our delighted view,
the land of immortal glory. Take com-
fort then, ye afflicted upright. Now you
may have sorrow ; but hereafter you shall

♦ John V, 20.

^^42 The Final Triumph of the Upright.

i^ejoice, aJnd ^ your joy no man taketh from

* you/ The Lord reigneth, and because tie
reigneth, you shall one day reign with
Him. — * The upright shall have dominion
' in the morning.*

What gratitude should we feel to God,
who thus vouchsafes to countenance and
reward the upright ! He keeps them ' as

* the apple of his eye :* ^ They shall never

^ perish, neither shall any man pluck tihem
^ out of his hand.' He hath sent his only
begotten Son to make provision for their
everlasting happiness : He hath sent also
his Holy Spirit to form their characters for
its complete enjoyment.-—' Bless then, the
' Lord, O our souls ! and all that is with-

^^ in us, bless his holjr name. Bless the
^ Lord, O our souls, and forget not all Ins

* benefits : Who forgiveth all our iniqui-

* ties : Who healeth all our diseases : Who

* redeemeth our lives from destructiiMi :

* Who crowneth us with loving-kindness

* and tender mercies :*♦ and who, if we be
upright^ shall give us * dominion in the

* morning/

^ Psaln ciiiy If 2, 3, 4«

The Final Triumph of the Upngh.24i3

What diligence should we give to cul-
tivate the principles of uprightness ! — ^To
be upright, is to obey the will of Gk)d, and
to consult our own interest. If then, we
have any regard, either to the will of God,
or to our own interest, we must be instant
in prayer for grace to enable us to fulfil,
with fidelity, all the duties of life. May
we * in simplicity, and godly sincerity,

* not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace
' of Gk)d, have our conversation in the

* world.' — ^May we never debase ourselves
with what is mean, nor defile ourselves
with what is corrupt in the present state.
In midst of all the^usiness, allurements,
and temptations of TOe world, may we re-
gulate our conduct^ as becomes the heirs of
u divine inheritance. O let us never weary
in well-doing.---* Behold,'-^(saith * the

* faithful and true Witness,') — * I come

* quickly, and my reward is with me, to

* give every man according as his work

* shall be.** — Let then, each cowJ^rt him--
self t let us ^r// endeavour to comfort one an-
other; with these words, — ' The upright

* shall have dominion in the morning.'

* Rev. xxiirl2.

TAB

EVIDENCES OF a FUTURE STATJB.

ECCLES. zii, 7.

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it wasy and the
• spirit shall return unto God who gaoe it.

\Ar HETHER the present life be the whole of
our existence: whether when this frail body
is dissolved there be a spirit within which
survives it, and returns at dissolution to
God who gave it, is one of the most im-
portant inquiries that can occupy the hu-
man mind. It i« no less an inquiry than
whether we be the kindred of brutal or ce-
lestial natures : whether we be doomed to
final destruction, or to the vast inheritance
of immortal being.— The infidel renounces
his hopes of immortality, and — ^unnatural

The Evidences of a Future State. 245

man ! courts the gulf of annihilation. He
consents to part with existence; he be-
lieves that he shall return to the earth, (nay
wishes that he may return), like the brutes
that perish. What a faith ! — ^What a wish
this ! — A gloomy faith which desperate
guilt only inspires — A monstrous wish
' unborn till virtue dies/ — And as such
horrid characters were never more numer-
ous than they are now, we should feel
more than ordinarily zealous to expose
their folly .: to vindicate the government
of God, and to contend for the dignity of
man. We may thus be useful in suppress*
ing the growth of infidelity in others, and
become more rooted and grounded in the
faith ourselves. And we can never be too
much so. The doctrines of religion, and
particularly the doctrine of immortality, is
of infinite importance, and therefore we
iCan never too carefully examine ; too fully
possess the whole sum of its evidence.
Now have we carefully examined : are we
in full possession of all this evidence ? —
JCan we stop the mQuths ^f gainsayers ? —
Can we, (as we are required by the Scrip-
tures), render a * reason for the hope that
* ,1^ in us V Certaijily this i^ ivox. ^^ c^.%^

$4J6 The Evidences of a Future Stait^

with all <^ viB. Would that it wtre with
even the majority ! But that it may be th0
case as much as possible: that we may un^
derstand what we profess to believe m\
that our future prospects may have a stable
foundation to rest upon, let us attend to
the following reflections.-s-We say that the
present is not the whole of our existence,
and that after death we are destined for

immortal existence But the unbeliever

denies this : he says that the present is the
-^hoXe of us, and that after death we have
done with existence. Now in opposition
to him ; in attempting to shew the fu-?
tility, the absurdity of his reasoning, w^
maintain,

First, that we are naturally capabk of
future existence ;

Secondly, that we have no reason frovci,
the mere circumstance of death to conclude
against our future existence ;

And, thirdly, that we can give positive
proofs of our future existence.

First, we are naturally capable of future

The Evidences of a Future State: 247

existence. Our nature consists of two parts,
body and mind. These two terms com-
prehend all the natures in the universe.
We know nothing of either but by their
qualities : and were their qualities radical-
ly the same, we should conclude that the
subjects to which they belong were the
same Ukewise j and should not perhaps dis-
tinguish them by di^Terent names. — But
their qualities are radically and essentially
diflFerent, and therefore we conclude that
the subjects also to which they belong
must be radically and essentially different.
We know nothing of matter, if it be not
something which is of itself wholly inac-
tive J which has length and breadth ; which
is the object of the externa] senses, and may
be divided intp parts. Mind, again, is
something that feels, thinks, acts, loves,
hates, chooses, refuses, reflects, imagines,
reasons, — all which qualities seem quite
inconsistent with those which we ascribe

to matter ^Mind, therefore, the subject of

these qualities, being thus different from
matter, must not only be imperceptible to
]the external senses, but likewise be in-
capable of being divided into parts ; and
being indivisible, it must naturally be in-

248 The Evidences of a Future State^

corruptible, and, without the extraordinary
interference of On^nipotence^ be immortal,
— From its essence, it has a capacity of ex-
istence without end: existence lasting as
that of God himself**

In regard to the objection agsdnst the

^ The immateriality of the soul is considered by Socrate$
as a demonstration of its immortality. — The soul, says h^, is
altogether kirnXuTtf and therefore $anix%$f§f. — The same sen-
timent is thus expressed by Cicero: — Nee discerpit nee distrahi
potest; nee inter ire igitur.. — But here I have thought it proper
not to venture so far. I have considered the immaterialiiy of
the soul as only an intinvation of its fitTiess for immortality^'-^
And upon this subject I cannot help ^dop^ng the judicious
and accurate language of Professor Stewart, to whojn, I have,

more than once» had occasion to refer. * In collecting,'

says he, * the various evidences which the hght of nature af-
fords for a future state, too much stress has commonly be^
laid on the soul's immateriahty. The proper use of that
doctrine is not to demonstrate that the soul is physically and
necessarily immortal ; but to refute the objections which
have been urged against the possibility of its existing in a
^arate state from the body. Although our knowledge of
the nature of mind may not be sufficient to afford us any
positive argument on the subject ; yet if it can be shewi^
that the dissolution of the body does not necessarily infer
the extinction of the soul ; and still more, if it can be shewn,
that the presumption is in favour of the contrary supposi-
tion, the mora) proofs of a future retribution will me^ with
a more easy reception, when the doctrine is freed from the
metaphysical .difficulties which it has been apprehended to in-
volve.' — Outlines of Moral PMlosophy, 2d edit. pp. 22?, 226»

The Evidences of a Future State. 249
•
doctrine of the soul being immaterial, and
consequently capable of immortality, drawn
from its being so much aflFected by the
state of the body, and even seeming to
partake of its decay ; — I only observe, that
this necessarily arises from their intimate
union. Things so intimately united as the
body and the soul, must always have great
influence on each other, however diflerent

their nature. Does connection or dependence

prove sameness? We know that it does not.
Seeing^ for instance, depends on our eyes ; but
ipe ourselves are not our eyes, any more
than the eye itself is the telescope through
which, it looks, or the artist is the tool

which he employs This objection then

furnishes nothing against what has now
l?een s^dvanced to prove the soul a spiritual
essence, and therefore capable of endless
existence.*

* The essential difference between the soul and the body,
has given rise to many controversies about the origin of the
former, and the time when it is united with the latter.—* The

* common opinion seems to be the most probiible, namelyt

* that the soul is created and united with the body, when the

* body is prepared for its reception. At what time, or in
^ what manner, this union may take place, it is impossible for

* Uf

250 The Evidences of a Future State.

•
And being thus naturally capable of end^
less existence, I remark, in the second
PLACE, that we have no reason from the
mere circumstance of deatb^ to conclude
against this existence. — That we shall exist
in future, we may conclude from our ex*
isting now, unless we see something oblig-
ing us to withdraw this conclusion. — ^It is
thus we expect the continuance of the laws
of nature, and in general of every thing
around us. These laws and the whole
system of being which they regulate, exist
to-day, and from this very circumstance^
we expect them to exist to-morrow, unless
from intervening circumstances we "find
reason to expect the contrary. — But the

* us to detennine, and therefore vain to inquire. Let us not
' suppose it derogatory from the happiness or perfection of

* the Deity, to be always employed (if we may so speak) iQ
f creation. To Omnipotence it must be as easy> and as glo-
^ rious, to create, as not to create. The best philosophers

* haye thought, that his continual energy is necessary to pro*

* dace gravitation, and other appearances in the material world*

* That the divme providence extends to the minutest parts of
^ the creation, has been believed by wise men in all ages ; is
1 confirmed by revelation, and is agreeable to right reason.
« For as He is everywhere present, and of infinite power, it

* is impossible that any thing should happen without his per»

* mMsion.*-^BecUti€*s Elements qf Moral Science, voL i, pp.
407, 409.

The Evidences of a Future State. 25 i

^oul exists now ; and from this very cir-
cumstance we may infer its existence in
futurity, unless we meet with plain and
palpable appearances which positively de-
clare that it shall be reduced to a state of
non-existence. Now, no such appearances
can be alleged in the present case, except-
ing those of death. But the appearances of
death, (and were it not for them, we should
. never doubt of the continuance of our ex-
istence), even these make nothing against
us, either from the reason of the things or
from the analogy of nature^

They make nothing against us from the
reason of the thing; for we do not know what
death is ; and none can prove to us that it
necessarily destroys our living powers. We
see it indeed breaking down this earthly ta-
bernacle, and dissolving it into its native dust ;
but this does not imply that at the same
time it extinguishes the living principle : that

it destroys the intellectual inhabitant

Nay, may we not rather infer, that the mo-
ment of death is the grand moment when

the soul is completely unclogged, when

the full exercise of all its powers is given
it, — when it is blessed with its destined

253 The Evidences of a future State.

enlargement,* This we certainly may in-
fer, because the body and the mind arc
entirely distinct, and because on this ac*
count the dissolution of the former does
not necessarily involve the destruction of
the latter. — ^This we must infer, when wc
reflect that our mind is not matter, but
spirit, not made up of parts, consequent-
ly not subject to corruption, consequent-
ly unless Gojd annihilate it, in no danger
of perishing. — ^And we have no reason to
think that God will ever annihilate it. We
see nothing annihilated. Even our bodies
are not annihilated. — No. — ^We see at death
only the manner of their existence changed :
their structure dissolved ; but- the com^
ponenty elementary materials are still preserv-
ed. We have no reason to think that even
any portion of matter throughout the uni-

* Here I am naturally reminded of the following beauti&l
lines, by an eminent Poet.

^ The soul of man was made to walk the skies,

* Delightful Outlet of her Prison here !

* There, disencumbered from her chains, the ties

* Of toys terrestrial, she can rove at large ;

* There freely can respire, dilate, extend,

^ In fun proportion^ let loose all her powers.'*

Y9uni^$ Night Thoughts^ Nq. i^

The Evidences of a Future State. 253

▼erse is erer annihilated. And ftKall God
then annihilate mind ? — annihilate the kin-
dred of angels, — the image of himself?*^
* Natvure starts at an annihilating Gtod/ *

That death should only change^ not de^
stroy OUT existence, is also agreeable to the
analogy of nature. We see every thing
changing^ but nothing losing its being. Wc
see the seed buried in the earth, and lying
fbr a while in the bosom of corruption,
and then springing up a tender blade, and
matured at length into the full grown plant.
We see the animal that is shut up in the
shell, bursting its confinement and passing
into the pure and open air. Wc see that
which is the caterpillar at one time, chiuig-
ing its form, and after being for a while
in a state of apparent insensibility, coming
forth the gaudy, swift-winged butterfly.
Such being the common course of nature^
do we then set forth any strange doctrine
when we speak of deaths as merely a change

* Concerning the dignity of the tonly two Ancients liaTe
thus strongly expressed themselves^

Quid aliud est anima quam JDeus in corpore faumaoo ho^
pitans ? Seneca*

T<tf ww*#5 Bios. Hierocles,

2 j4 The Evidences of a Future St at i 4

from one state of existence to another .-^^
And perhaps we have undergone as great
a change already. The difference between
our state in the womb, and that which we
enjoy in the full manhood of our earthly
being, is not, we may venture to affirm^
more than the diStrence between this frc-»
sent, and xh2X future state for which we are
now pleading.

Thus does it appear^ that we are natutat^
ty capable of future existence ; and that we
have no reason from the mere circumstance
of death to conclude against our future ex«
istence ; but we maintain more, — we main-'
tain that we have positive proofs of our
future existence. We believe our future
existence to be as certain as even God's ex-
istence. If God exists, he must htjusf^
and wise^ and good. Now his justice^ and
wisdom^ zxkA goodness y clearly prove the doc-
trine of a future state.

His justice proves it.— There is certainly
a difference between actions ; some are
right and others wrong. There is as cer-
tainly a difference between characters ; some
are good and others bad.— And it is equal-

The Evidences of a Future State. 255

\j tettain that actions shotild be regarded,
and characters treated according to their
di£Ferenee. Right actions should receive
approbation, and wrong ones blame : good
characters should receive reward, and bad
ones punishment. Now, God who is per«^
feet, must have the fullest perception of
this truth ; and in his conduct towards us,
his rational and moral offspring, he must
in every instance act agreeably to it, * The

* Judge of all the earth must do what is

* right. Under his government, the righto-
^ ous mian may always rest confident, that

* it shall be well with him, for he shall
^ eat of the fruit of his doings ; but woe

* unto the wicked, it shall be ill with him j

* for the reward of his hands shall be given

* him.' Accordingly, we see obedience to
the divine law tending even now to pro-
duce happiness, and disobedience tending
to produce misery. But these natural tend-
encies, it must be confessed, seem, at pre^
sent, to be often obstructed. We behold
nothing more here than the beginning of
that perfect order which shall take place
hereafter. Good men here are often the
greatest sufferers.— Nay, what is more, they
seem often to suffer most severely for the

356 The Evidences of a Future State.

Tcry sake of their goodness, while bad
men, even the vilest of our race, * the oSi

* scourings of all things,' are often permit-
ted to flourish, to occupy the highest sta-
tions, to encircle themselves with afflu-^
ence, and honours, and pleasures, and then
seemingly to depart in peace. — ^Npw, this
being a palpable truth, which cannot be
controverted, we are not too confident when
we assert, — ^that as sure as there is a God,
— and that that God is just, so sure is it
that there is a future state where all the
present apparent disorders shall be fully
rectified, — where the equity of the divine
government shall be illustriously display-
ed, — ^where good men shall be crowned
with an abundant reward, and bad men
meet with their merited punishment.—-.

Yes, ^the doctrine of the Scriptures it is

impossible to avoid, — ^that there shall be a

* judgment-seat,' — that before that seat all
shall be assembled, — ^that to the righteous
shall then be rendered * eternal life,' — ^but to
the wicked * indignation and wrath, tribula;-

* tion and anguish,' — ^this shall be * the por-

* tion of their cup,' for * the righteous Lord

* loveth righteousness,' — ^ his countenance
„* doth behold the upright.' — ^Thc upright

The Evidences of a Future State. 257

are sensible of this, and they looV. forward
to the future with confidence and hope*
The unjust, again,— the wicked, — ^ na-
turally look forward with fear and trem-
bling. The consciences of all bfear wit^^^
nesS) (and their consciences do not de**
ceive them), that they sire under the mor^
government of a most righteous Being, and
6hall exist in a future state of most righte<^

0XLS retribution.

/■

But the doctrine of a future state r is
(evinced not only by^^^^p^WiV^, but by the
nvisdom of God. — Wisdom is never need-
lessly profuse of its gifts, but proportions
ciaxxXj the means it employs, and the en*-
dowments it confers to . the nature and
value of the end which it designs tq ac-
complish. Now, Gkxi is infinite in wisdom,
and therefore we are warranted to infer
that he suits harmoniously the nature, the
powers, and faculties, of all his creatures to
the stations in which, th^y are placed, and
the purposes which they are destined to
^erve.' — ^The vegetable tribes are fitted for
the particular soil and climate ixi^ which
they are destined to grow, and the in-
ferior animals receive that particular frame,

258 The Evidences of a Future State.

that particular degree of strength, and
those particular instincts and propensities,
which are perfectly correspondent to the
place they hold in the creation, and the
offices they are appointed to perform. The
same wisdom, then, is doubtless employed
in the construction of man. Doubtless his
nature with all its capacities and powers,
is cyeiy way adapted to his rank in the
scale of being, and to the measure of his
duration — But how can this wisdom,
this divine adaptation be made apparent,
if he be only the inMcct of a day : if af-
ter taking a few turns upon the theatre of
existence, he sink in death never to exist
again ? — He has a soul, an immaterial,
spiritual principle within him, capable of
endless existence ; and is it consistent with
wisdom, — infinite wisdom,— .to give him.
this glorious capacity in vain? — ^He can
think, reason, abstract himself from the-
objects of sense and time, rise above all
that pertains to earth, and soar upon the
wings of heavenly ccMitemplation. But why
so highly endowed j why so divinely ex-
alted ; if he be so soon to be destroyed for
ever ; to become, both body and soul, as
if he had never been ?— He can reach the

The Evidences of a Future State. 259

sublimest heights of virtue, he can hold
fellowship with angels, and reflect the
iiriage of the Divinity ; but why furnish
him with this excellence ; why adorn him
with this image, if he were merely to num-
ber a few evil days, and then for ever

perish ? Our own nature proclaims to us

our future existence. The aii-wise Creator
has bestowed upon us faculties, the be^
stowing of which, we cannot account for,
had they a reference only to this land of
shadows— ^There must then be * another
scene, where, in a nobler soil, and beneath
more friendly skies, they shall mature and
flourish, and attain their just, unboimded
exercise, — Yes, we are not abortive beings :
death does not strike us off from exist-
ence ; it only changes our residence, and
carries us to better mansions, — ' mansions

* not made with hands, eternal in the hea«

* vens.*

From the gox>dmss of Gfod too, we may
infer our existente in a future state.—
Goodness is a disposition to communicate
happiness ; and in Gk)d, •all of whose at-
tributes are infinite, it is a disposition to
communicate all that happiness which cafi

260 The Evidences of a Future State.

be enjoyed by those who are its ol>ject^
fiow we are the objects of God's good^
ness; he hath brought us into existeiKe^
and by endowing us with an immaterial
soul^ a spiritual principle , hath made laai
capable of endless existence. Now is it
consistent with the goodness of Gk>d, which
is a disposition to impart every blessing of
which we are capable ; is it consistent with
this goodness to destroy the first and
noblest capacity of our i^ature :— to de^
stroy the human soul though it is capiible
of living for ever ?— But we are capabl©
aot only of endless e^^istence, but of end-*
less improvement. No bouiidary is set ta
what may be our attainments. While on
earth we may receive continual additions
to the (Strength of our powers, to the;
purity of our affections, %o the sviblimity
of our virtues, even to the end of our
course ; — and to all eternity itself may
be advancing in knowledge and in holi-
ness. And shall a good God arrest us for
ever in our heavenly progress } He bringai
even the herbage of the field and the beastsi
of the stall to aU the perfection of their
natures : and shall it then fare worse with
man, the lord of this lower world ? Can s^

The Evidences of a Future State. 261

Mitare 6o superior be destined merely to
suffer a few days of labour and sorrow,
and be then banished out of being ? — Are
his noble faculties never to be fully blown }
Are his angel-appetites to be for ever star-
ved ? . Is he to be stopt and sunk int6
eternal night at his very entr^ on the path
to perfection ?— Then there is nothing that
k safe : then angels themselves may take
alarm^ for then angels too may die : from
the book of life, God may expunge the
whole creation. But to think of this would
be to blaspheme the goodness of heaven.
It would be fancying a God without exist*
ence save in the infidel's mind : a God
engaged in spreading immense destruction,
and ever fix)wning over the ghastly scene
from his solitary throne. But our God is
a diflFerent' Being : he is good, infinitely
good, and delights not in destruction, but
in imparting all ithat life and happiness
which his creatures are capable of enjoy-
ing* And therefore we conclude that he
will never destroy, but crov<m our nature
with honour and immortality.

And besides being capable, we are all
naturally desirous of immortality. We

^69i Tke Evidences cf a Future l&tafe.

naturally love our being, and of conse*
quence naturally desire its continuance.
The thought of being reduced into nothings
is shocking to a rational soul. Now is this
desire ci perpetual existence merely the ef-
fect of education ? No,^ — ^for^ widi a very
few exceptions, it is found in all ages and
countries. Or does it arise merely frcun
self-conceit, or pride^ or any extravagant
passion ? No,— for ccms cienc e approves ctf
it as innocent^ laudable, and right. — The
desire of immortality then, seems to be na-
tural, and whatever is a natural cannot be
a vain principle. Since God is infinitely
good, he will never lead us by deceit. The
expectations with which he has filled the
minds of his children, he cannot frustrate.
Every desire which he has implanted shall
certainly be gratified«^-J know, indeed, that
there are scxne who have no desire of a
future life : instead c^ being the object of
their desire, it is the object of their hor-
ror. But in such men, guilt has sup-
pressed the propensities of nature, and
were it not for that * fearful looking for*
of misery with which their consciences
alarm them, they would follow nature, and
desire immortality like- their worthier

The Evidences of a Future State. 263

brethreiL — ^For remark too, and it is de-
serving of remark, that the wiser and bet-
ter men have become, the stronger has
ever been their desire, the more passion-
ate their * longing after immortality.* An-
ticipating future glory, they have some-
times been able to say, — * We loath being

* here, — v^e would not live alway. — ^We
^ that are in this tabernacle do groan, be-

* ing burdened, not for that we would be

* unclothed, (mere dying was not the thing

* they desired), but clothed upon, that

* mortality might be swallowed^u|> of life.*
-^Holy men^ while herc^ feel themselves
encompassed with infirmity : often soul-
sickened with the incessant returns of va-
nity and folly ; and they long for the hap-
py time when they shall be ransomed from
evil, and enjoy for ever unmingled good*
The Apostle therefore uttered not merdy
his own, but the common language of all
the saints, when he exclaimed,—* O wretch-

* ed man that I am ! who shall deliver me

* from the body of this death/.^.And they
do not long in vain ; soon shall their long-
ings be gratified ; for when the body re-
turns to the earth as it was^ the pious soul

$64 The Sfvideneek of a Future St ode ^

shall return to the enjoyment of God wh*
gave it.

Such are some of die reasons for otuR
faith in a future state. Viewed even sing«
ly, they have great strength; but when
viewed conjoifitly, — as a great whole, — all
standing by and supporting one another,
they form a phalanx of evidence, the force
of which, upon every honest mind, seems
irresistible. And what reason supports,
revelation confirms. ^ ("ear not then^ who

•

^ kill the body/ (tays the Author and Fi-*
nisher of our faith)y ^ but are not able to
kill the soul.*. * I am the resurrection
and the life : he that bdieveth in me,
though he were dead, yet shall he live ;
and whosoever liveth and believeth in
me, shall never die/—* In my Father'^
house z^t many mansions: if it wtfe
not so I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you. And if I go tor
prepare a place for you, I will come agaun
and receive you unto myself, that where I
am, there ye may be also/ * — And what
Jesus thus declared, het gave visible de-«

* Mm. X, 28. Joha xir 25> 26, John xit, 2, S.

i«^-«^

TAe Evidences of a Future State. 26A

ttionstration of. Me recalled the departed
spirit from the eternal world : he himselir
died, and rose again from the dead, and
thus shewed himself* the first fruits of them

* that sleep.' He made manifest not only
the future existence of the soul, but also
the resurrection of the body. Well then
may he be said to have * abolished death/
and shed noon^-day lustre on immortal life^
through his glorious gospel.

Let us thank God for our ennobling
prospects ) and make it ever our chief aim
to walk worthy of our blessed hopes. As
strangers and pilgrims here, let us ' ab-

* stain from fleshly lusts,'— frbm every
thing that would debase the nature or ob-
scure the glory of our immortal souk*
Let us therefore live in constant imitation
of Jesus, and pray without ceasing that
we may be accepted through Him.. He
will soon call us into that eternity for which
we are destined; and according to what we
are then, shall be our lasting^ condition.
My Soul ! awake then into action ; grovel
not hfere below : live as a son of God i

]|ave thy couversatioa in heaven. Nothing

266 The Evidences of a Future State.

earthly can fill thy va^t desires : only the.
infinite God can fill them : only he who is
blessed for ever, can bless thee with life
and joy everlasting. — Life ! joy everlast-
ing ! the mere hope of this, while man
is here, — while he is nothing more than
man, — ^the mere hope of this, iMhis dear-
est portion. It inspires and solaces the
heaven-born pilgrim : It gives health to
the frame, and angel-vigour to the mind.
— Like' the fair summer-evening, it beams
sweetness and serenity. It is man's most
estimable joy : it is his paradise below.

_. I

XHB

PROSPECT OP A FUTURE STATE
OPENED BY THE GOSPEL.

> ,•..•..•■ .li

« TIMOTHT i> 10.

Our Scmour Jesus Christy^— hath brought life and im^
mortality to light through the Gospel.

I .

We aU know that there are different de-
grees of light. How different is the open-
ing dawn from the blaze of thle meridian
sun ? Light, in a figurative sense, is know-
ledge, and of knowledge, how various the
degrees ! The knowledge, for inftance, of a
future state which the heathens had is very-
different from that which obtained among
the Jews, and the knowledge of the Jews
again very different from that which is en-
joyed by Christians. The knowledge which

268 The Prospe$t of a Future State^ ^c.

upon this subject was derived from the
Tagan philosophers, and even from the Jew-
ish teachers^ is not to be compared with
that which is now difiused imder the £van^
gelical dispensation. — ^ Our Saviour Jesus
^ Christ, ■ hath brought life and immorta-
^ lity to light through the gospel/

But though it is justly said of our Lord,
that he * hath brought life and immortality
< to light,' yet it is not to be inferred from
this, that nothing, or next to nothing, was
known or believed concerning a future state
before his advent ; for it is an unquestion*
able fact, that before his coming, both Jews
an^ Gentiles had a knowledge of anqtjher
wojM, t hough indeed ajgery ^lyrfect <me
compared with what He superadded* All
then that can be meant by the assertion,—

* Christ — hath brought life and immortality

* to light through the gospel,' — is this. —
Since bis appearance mens views of a fu"
ture state have become more settled^ precise^
extensive^ and exhilarating.^ — To illustrate

* This is undoubtedly the just and natural interpretation of
the Apostle's word8> and in support of it^ I here adduce a

luminous

The Traspect of a Future State, ^^c, 269

glkdi establish this proposition, is the object
of the present dissertation.— Our attention

luxninous exposition of theniy by a late learned prelate.*
These words,* says he, * being spoken of our blessed Sa^
Tiour, and affimmg tKat he through the gospel brought life
and immortality to fight, are thought by some to be exdu-
rive of 73^ arguments ilbr a future immortality, drawn either
finom the Hght of reasoft and nature, or from the writings of
Moses : fbr, tif the hopes of immortality were so supported
before the coming of Christ Jesus, it could not be truly as-
serted of haxa, that he hroughi i^fe emd immortality to light
through tht gospel. And so fm* at least they must be allow**
ed to argue justly, that If the text is to be understood ii^
this exclusive sense, it wiU affect the proofs and authorities
of any former revelation equally with those of sense and rea^
son. But then, on the qther side, it is certain, that, if this
argument does not impeach the authority of Moses with re-
gard to this fundamental article of ^th, neither will it shut
out the propfe oS natural reMgion ; since it must destroy the
evidence of both, or of neither. Now, that it does not set
aside the authority of Moses, is evident fxx>m our Saviour's
argument to the Sadducees ; * Now that the dead are rais^d^

* even Mqdfes ^ewed at the bush, when he called the Lord
^ the God of Abr^am, and the God of Isaac, and the God

* of Jacob/ Luke xxy 37« From whence it appears, that our
Saviour thought the bw of Moses afforded good proof of a
future life j which is inconsistent with the Supposition that
there was n^ evideace for Kfe and inmtortality t31 the public
cation of the go^K

• But, supposing Moses or the law of nature to afford evj-

♦ dence for a future fife and immortafity, it remains to be con-

• sidered, m what sense the words of the text are to be under^
f ftood^ wh^ch 4p affir|ii * that fife aud immortafity were

** brt)ugh^

270 The Prospect of a Future State^ ^c.

ib therefore naturally called to the two fol-
lowing points.

<< brought to %fat through the gospeL' To bring anf thing

* to light ms^ signify, according to the idiom of the English
' tongue, to discover or reveal a thing which was perfectly un-

* known before : but the word in the original ia so far from
< countenancing^ that it will hardly admit of this sense.^ The

* Greek runs thus ; ^tnitrwnH H ^ttwi «iti «f ^k^o-miv. Now

* qftnt^M signifies (not to bring to light, but) to enlightenf

* illustrate, or clear up any thing. You may judge by the

* use of the word in other places : it is used in John i, 9*
" That was the true IJght, which %hteth' (or enlighteneth)
** every man that cometh intp jhe vorld ^' • ^mri^u rarr«
^ av6^«>irf, Jesus Christ ^6, not by coming into the world
f bring men to hght ; but he did by the gospel enlighten men,

* and make those, who were dark and ignorant before, wise

* even to salvation. In like manner our Lord did enlighten

* the doctrine of life and immortality, not by giving the first

* or only notice of it, but by clearing up the doubts and diffi*

* culties under which it laboured, and giving a better evidence

* for the truth and certainty of it, than Nature or any revela-

* tion before had done. There is one place more where our
^ translators render the original word as they have done in the

* text } 1 Cor. iv, 5. • Therefore judge nothing before the
*^ time, until the Lord jcome, who both will bring to light the
*< hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the coun-
<.< sels of the hearts $ and then shiJl every man have praise of
« God.' But in this place it had been ;nore pioperl^r render^

* ed, who wiU cast light upon the hidden things of darkness ;
^ and so rendered, it better suits what follows, and will make

* manifest the couitsels of the hearty The hidden things of

* darkness, which shall be brought to light at the coming of

* the Lord, are the actions and pract^^e^ of vdcked men, whkh>

* though

The Prospect of a Future State, 4*6. 271

The first is^— That in consequence of
the promulgation of the gospel, the evi-
dence of a future state has become much
more perspicuous and certain.

The second is ^Xhat much additional

information, concerning it, has been af-
forded by the gospel, which could not have

though they are of a certain and determinate nature, are yet
hard to judge of, because we cannot discern the springs and
motives from whence they arise : perfectly unknown to us
they are not ; if they were, there was no occasion for the
apostle to forbid us judging of them ; for men do not, can-
not judge at aU of things which do not at all fall under their
notice : but they are so dark and obscure, that it is hard to
judge rightly of them, and therefore it is but prudent to sus-
pend our sentence till the day comes which will make all
things clear, which will hold such a light to these hidden
things of darknesSf that we shall manifestly discern them,
and be able to view them on every side. So that, in this
case* the hidden things of darkness are not supposed to be
perfectly unknown, but only to be so dark and involved, that
we cannot safely pass our judgment on them ; and to bring
them to light imports no more than to set them in a clear
light» and to make them plain and manifest to the eyes of all
the world. According to the use then of the original word,
to bring life and immortality to light signifies to illustrate
and make plain this great doctrine of religion, to dispel the
doiiHts and uncertainties in which it was involved, and to give
evident proof and demonstration to ^he world of the certain-
ty of a future life and iEamort?iltj*^-^Sherlock[s Discoursp^
No. vi, pp. 117-120.

272 The Prospect of a Future State, ^c.

been obtained by any efforts of unassisted
reason.

First : — ^In consequence of the promul*
gation of the gospel, the evidence of a fu-
ture state has become much more perspi-
cuous and certain.-— I have endeavoured,
in the preceding dissertation, to prove uie
doctrine of a future state from principles
of reason. My proofs there, were drawn
cnieu^^froin^th^

:&om the moral attributes of Grod.— It has
been shewn^ Aat fi^^^ its ess ence ^ the sou l
is capable of surviving, die body : — ^that
from the mere circumstance of deaths wc
have no reason to infer that it will be de-
stroyed,---and that the justice, and wis^p
dom, and goodness, of God require that
its existence should be perpetuated. But
arguments of this kind, however fair and
conclusive in themselves, are not sufficient-
ly plain and convincing to the generality
of mankind. If the multitude, or even
the more learned are to be deeply impress*
ed with any truth, the impression will sel-
dom be made by elaborate discussion, by
close and abstruse reasoning ; it must be
made by authoritative declarations, and by

fht Prt>spect of d Fuiure Statpy ^c. 273

striking and well-authenticated fatts.—
Accordingly, it is in this way that the
gospel reveals the doctrine of ithmortality.
Not leaving us to wander in the wide field
of conjecture, or to be guided only by the
Uncertain light of our own erring undei'-
stilidiligs, it assures us by promises and
declarations too plain to be misundei*-
stood, and too authoritative to be disbe-
lieved, that We are all destined foi* ahothclf
Cdtmtry , and that ' as an Adam all died,
^^ even so in Christ, shall all be made

* alive.' * — By the demerit of the former,
we are subjected to sorrow and to death ;
but by the obedience of the latter we arc
restored to the well-grounded hope of Hfc
and felicity eternal. * God' (saith the Scrip-
ture), * so loved the world, that he gat*e

* his dnly begotten Son, that whosoever

* believeth in him, should ndt perish, btrt

* have everlasting life/ f — ^ Verily, Verily/
(saith Jesus) * the hour is coming, and now

* is, when the dead shall hear the voice of

* the Son of God, and they that hear shall

* live/ X~/ I am the resurrection and the

* life : he that believeth in mb, though he

* 1 GoTi XT, 22. t John iii, 10. % Jolw t, 25.

274 The Prospect of a Future State^ 4^c^^

'.. were dead yet shall he live : and whoso

* ^ycr liv^th and believedi in me, thfiugh

* h e were, d ead shjJl ncv^r die,* * The
wicked * shall go away into everlasting.

* ^ punishment j but the righteous into life

* eternal/ f — From these, and similar pass-
ages of Scripture, we have as complete as-
surance of a future state as the express de-
clarations of God can give us. Yet as if
even these solemn declarations of God were
insufficient to support so momentous a doc-
trine, we find it ratified and confirmed by
ocular demonstration. It is not merely pro-
posed to us as an ais tract truth y but reveal-
ed to us as an incontrovertible Jact : it is not
merely made evident to our understandings^
but set before our eyes. In the New Testa-
ment we behold the iron bars of the grave
actually burst asunder, and all the powers
of darkness overcome. — He who ignomi-
niously expired in the sight of thousands,
hath completely vanquished * the last ene-

* my,' and risen glorious from the tomb.
He passed from the cross to Paradise, car-
rying triumphantly with him the compa-
jiion of his sufferings, while their bodies

* John xi, 25, 26. . t Matt, xxv, 46.

jTAc Prospect of n Future Statey ^-c. 275

iiung lifeless on the tree. Now, is not this
a sensible demonstration that death is not
the extinction of being, but only the tran-
sition from one state to another, and that
He who was thus able to conquer the

* King of terrors,' has the absolute disposal
of man in every possible mode of exist-
ence ?— i-We must believe that ' He who

* raised up Christ from the dead, will also

* quicken our mortal bodies,' and raise them
up from the pit of corruption to the re-
gions of immortal glory.

But our holy religion, besides cdntaining
explicit promises of a future state, and an
infallible confirmation of them by the re-
surrection of its Author^ exhibits a series
of such other important facts connected
with it as tend, in a still more lively man-
ner, to influence our imaginations, and en-
courage our hopes. — Jesus, it informs us,
not only rose from the grave, but also, in
a visible form, and before many witnesses,
ascended gloriously into heaven, and is now
there as our *, forerunner,* making con-
tinual intercession for us^ — The certainty
Mid circumstances too, of his * appearing
^ the second time, without sin unto salva-*

276 The ProspiCf of a Future Siatty ^c.

* tion/ are particularly mentioned — The
voice of the Archangel and the trump of
God : the graves openings and the sea giv-
ing up its dead, are all fully and solenmly
represented.— -The very words in which thtf
final sentence will be pronounced^ are dis«
tinctly foretold—^* Come/ (shall Jesus say
to the righteous)^ ^ corne^ ye blessed of my

* Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for

* you from the foundation of the world/ —
But, * Depart^ (shall he say to the wicked),

* depart from me, ye cursed into everlast-
^ ing fire, prepared for the devil and his

* angels/ * — ^Now, if the gospel of Christ
has in this plain, but most striking and
affecting manner, revealed to us a future
state, may it not justly be said to have

* brought life and immortality to light ?' —
Yes, every reflecting and candid man must
confess that it hath afforded a satisfaction
to the inquiring mind which no former
dispensation could yield : held out a lamp
to the bewildered traveller which the most
admired systems of heathen philosophy
could never displiayj and guided to a glo-

«* Mktt* Ky, 34> S5.

The Pwspect of a Future State^ ^c. STiT

rious ceruintj which the most rabtk logt«
cal disquisition could never attain.

The proofs of a futiu'e existence found-
ed on the principles c^ reason, which are
now so forcibly stated, and of which we
so justly boast, were but faintly represent-
ed, imperfectly understood, and doubtful-
ly received, till the world was improved
and blessed by the religion of Jesus* To
be convinced of Ais, we need only con-
sider the case of the greatest and best of
those who adorned the heathen world. —
Brutus, a man of rigid and stoical virtue,
was, by the principles of hi« sect, an as-
sertor of a future state; bue Ending his
own cause and that of his firiends unsuc^
cessful, he sunk into despair, and in his
last moments made this extraordinary de-
claration : — * I have worshipped virtue as
* the supreme good, but have found it to
^ be only an idol and a name.' — Ah! could
any real and well-grounded persuaaion of
immortality inspire the breast of him who
could leave the world with such a queru-
lous and irreligious reflection ?— But here
I need not dwell long upon this mortifying
theme : I need only quote $he memorable

278 The Prospect of a Future State^ SfC^

words of Socrates himself, immediately be-
fore his dissolution Full of doubt and
ani^iety about his future destination, he
thus expresses himself to those who were
around him — * It is time for us to depart v

* for me to die : for you to live. Which

* of the two is best the immortal gods

* know ; but I suppose no man upon earth
^ can certainly tell/ — ^Unhappy Socrates \
Didst thou painfully labour in quest of
truth, and was this all the satisfaction thou
wast able to obtain ? Didst thou assiduous-
ly grope thy way in the dark night of
fancy and of fable, and after all could thy
trembling, unassisted eye scarcely discern
the glimmer of a dawn : the morning star
of that perfect day which was afterwards
to gladden the land ? — ^Yes, — ^thou ancient
sage, thy ingenuous, but almost fruitless
search : all thy most solenui declarations :
^11 thy latest, dying sentiments, and every
page of the immortal writings of thy fol-
lowers, clearly prove the natural weakness
^nd ignorance of man.-^— Consider this, ye
miivute philosophers, ye vain half-think-
ers, who decry all revelation and extol the
powers of unassisted reason : who glory in
your boldness jto arraign your God, and in

The "Project of a Future State, ^6. 279

the excess of your folly , think that singii-
larity is sense, — consider this and be hum-
bled : — Socrates himself (and him you
boast of as your master) , confessed the im-
becility of nature, sighed earnestly for di-
vine illumination, and with lowly reverence
would have fallen at the feet of that Jesus
whom you insult and scorn, and, with un-
speakable delight, would have imbibed

from him the words of celestial wisdom.

But while I muse on the dark and dismal
state of Socrates, I am relieved from the
melancholy it inspires by turning my
thoughts to that of the great -Apostle of
the Gentiles, In the near prospect of death,
he, with a sacred composure, a heavenly
heroism, thus wrote to his beloved Timothy,
— * I am now ready td be' offered up, and

* the time of my departure is at hand, I

* have fought a good fight, I have finished
' my course, I have kept the faith. Hence-

* forth there is laid up fot me a crown of

* righteousness which the Lord, the righte-
' ous Judge shall giv€ -me at thut day :— r

* and not to me only, but unto all them

* also who love his appearing. I— ^The light
of the glorious gospel had shone aroimd
him : he had devoutly welcomed it3 gladr

680 JTie Prospect of a Future StatCj ^e,

dening rays, toid in tbej&e few emphatic;
words, described to the PhiUppi»n§ the
blessedness of his condition :~ • To me to
' live is Christ, and to die is gain.'— Thni
it appears, that in consequence of the pro-
mulgation of the gospel, rhe evidence of a
future state has becptoxe much more perspi^
cuous and certain.

But I add in the second plac£, that
much additional infqrmation concerning it,
has been afforded by the gospel, which
could not have beep pbtained by any efr
forts of unassisted reason. — The gospel, for
instance, gives us pure and exalted ideas of
the pleasures and honours of a future state :
it assures us of the eternity of their dura-
tion, and clearly points out to us the only
way in 'which we cap arrive at the enjoy-
ment of them.

The gospel gives us pure and exalted

ideas of the pleasures and honours of a

future state. — To the Jews the glory of

heaven was obscured : beheld indeed but

* as through a glass darkly ;' apd with re-
gard to the Gentiles, it was almost com*
pletely hidden from their eyes. Any con-

l^he Prospect of a Future State^ ^c. 2HI

ception* wt^ch the latter attempted to form
of it, were, generally, to the last degree,
irrational and absurd. Ignorant of what;
constituted the true perfection and happi-
ness of man, they foolishly imagined, that
beyond the grave, he would be engaged in
the game pursuits, attached to the same
pleasures, and even subject to many of the,
ssame infirmities and wants with which he
had been familiar while on earth.* — But
different, widely different is the prospect
which the gospel affords. It is beyond ex-
pression glorious. Yet even the gospel pre-
tends not to give us any adequate idea of
the heavenly happiness, because such a
communication woi;ild be too much for our
present intellectual powers, and totally in-
conjpatible with our present state. But
what it does reveal is of so captivating,
grand, and sublimating, a nature, as to fill
with gratitude and admiration every wije.

f V ' i '

* Pars in gramineis exercent membra palsestris,
Contendunt ludo, et fiilva luctantur arena :
Pars pedibus plaudiint choreas, et carmina dicunt.

Qua gratia currfim

Armorumque fuit vivis, quse cura nitentes
Pasc^reequps, eadem sequitur tellure repostos.

rtrgtk

282 The Prospect of a Future State, ^c.

and ingenuous mind. — ^While by the most
terrific imagery it represents the future
misery of impenitent sinners, it paints in
the most delightful and rational manner,
the celestial inheritance of the saints. While
the former are covered with shame and
consigned to * blackness of darkness/ the
latter are hailed into the regions of light
and love, and made * kings and priests

* unto God.* — There, disease, and sorrow,
and death, never assail them. They are
freed from all their infirmities, cured of all
their follies, and relieved from all their
pains. Every prejudice is removed from
their understandings, every wrong bias
from their wills, and every evil imagina-
tion from their hearts. Knowledge, piety,
and virtue, take the entire possession of
their souls. They * know even as also they

* are known :' they are made * pure in

* heart,' and without the least distraction
or languor, nay, with ecstacy divine, they

* serve God, day and night, in his temple.'
— And while the gospel thus assures us
that in heaven the spirit shall be made per-
fect, it also informs us of what no preced-
ing system explicitly did, — that the body
^hall be restored and admitted to respective

The Prospect of a Future State, tjc. 283

and suitable enjoyments.* It is upon this
principle alone that the doctrine of the re-
surrection can be reasonably admitted. For
how can we suppose that God will ever ex-
ercise his power to recal the body to life,
from that mass of elements from which it
was originally taken, and into which it has
been resolved, without providing for it some
proper objects of fruition in that state in-
to which it is destined to enter ? — I am far,
however, from supposing that the plea-
sures which the body is there to receive,
will be exactly of the same nature with
those which it receives here. On the con-
trary, I believe that, from the surprising
change which the corporeal frame will un- ,
dergo, no relish for the coarser gratifica-
tions will exist. All our pleasures will be
such only as are related to, and perfected
in the mind. There they will all tend and
terminate as naturally as the rivers flow
into the ocean. Sensations of pleasure, in-^

* The ancient philosoplier pronounced the notion of oyr
having bodies in a future state perfectly absurd and ridiculous.
Accordingly, they were led to deny that the body was any

part of the man. Tu habeto, te non esse mortalem, sed

corpus : nee enim is es quern forma ista declarat ; sed T^^n\
(ujusqme is est quisque. Cicero,

284 The Prospect of a Future StaiCj ^c.

deed, which have no tendency to improve
the spiritual part of man, are, from the
present constitution of things^ rendered in-
dispensable ; but in the mansions of per-
fection and purity they shall have no place.
— ^There * this corruptible shall put on in-

* cormption, and this mortal put on im-

* mortality/ — ^There the righteous * shadl

* hunger no more, neither tliirst any more.

* — They who are accounted worthy to obi-

* tain tliat world, and the resxirrection from
^ the dead, neither marry nor are given in

* marriage/ * — ^And with their whole na-
ture, both body and soul, thus dignified,
spiritualized, and perfected, they have their
happiness completed by being admitted
into the most blessed and exalted society.
They associate with all the holy and the
just : they join the * innumerable com-

* pany of angels,' and what is infinitely
greater and better, they are for * eve»

* with the Lord.* They are welcomed in-
to the presence of ' the Lamb that was

* slain/ and with * their robes washed and

* made white in his blood,' joyfully encircle
his glorious throne.

I Cor. XT, 53. Rer, Tii, l6. Luke xx, 35.

The Prospect of a Future State^ ^c. 285

And while the g08pel thus gives us pure
'and exalted ideas of the pleasures and ho-
nours of a future state, it, at the same
time, assures us of their eternal duration*
The bitterest circumstance that mingles it-
self with all our present enjoyments, is the
shortness and uncertainty of their conti-
nuance. Vicissitude and change are mark-
ed on every thing around us. — * The fashion
of this world passeth away.* But the plea^
sures and honours of the world to come
are, in the strictest sense of the word, ever-
lasting. There the righteous have * an en-

* during substance, — an incorruptible in-

* heritance : — they shall reign with the Lord

* God for ever and ever.' * When myriads
and myriads of ages have elapsed, they
shall still have a blessed eternity before
them: still continue brightening in holi-
ness, increasing in happiness, and rising
in glory. Now, for this joyful and trans-
porting prospect, we are unquestionably
indebted to the gospel. It is a prospect far
too extensive to be discovered by the un-
assisted eye of human reason. From the
present unequal distribution of good and
evil, human reason might well expect the

* Heb, x> 34. I Pet. i, 4. Rev. xxii^ 5*

266 The Prospect of a future State^ ^fr.

existence of a future and more perfect
state ; but whether or not its duration was
to be endUss she could not ascertain.* And
this is by no means surprising ; for surely
a much less splendid reward than an un-^
fading crown, a much less degree and du-
ration of bliss than an exceeding and an
eternal weight of glory might be sufficient
to recompense the most righteous that ever
lived, (even supposing them to be merito-
rious), for all the short-lived trials and
troubles which they could suffer upon
earth. — Eternal life, therefore, is con-
stantly and justly represented in Scripture
as the GIFT, the free gift of God through
Jesus Christ; f and that this free gift shall
be everlastingly enjoyed, none but Gk)d him-
self could promise, or when promised, ful-
fil. Accordingly, it is the gospel of Christ
only that with clearness and certainty de-
clares ETERNAL LIFE to be the Unalienable

* Indeed some of the wis^t and best of the pagan philo^
fiophers, instead of entertaining any doubts on this subjectf
d^lared it as their fixed opinion, that at some future period
the soul v^ould be extinguished. Though they sometimes pro-
fessed to believe that it would exist after deaths yet they de*

nied that it would exist for ever. Stoid— «^iw mansuroa'

aiunt animos, semper negant. Cicero.

t Rom. V, 18, vi, 23,

The Prospect of a Future State^ ^c. J87

inheritance of man : that convinces him,
beyond the possibility of doubt, that though
:hts body moulder into dust, yet his soul,
his better part, shall never die, and that
even the body itself shall one day shake
off the dishonours of the grave, rise more
illustrious from its ruins, and become glo-
rious, incorruptible, immortal.

But not only does the gospel give us the
purest and most exalted ideas of the plea-
sures and honours of a future state, and of
their eternal duration: it likewise points
out to us the only way in which we can
arrive at the enjoyment of them. — ^Wid^
this it is absolutely necessary that we should
be perfectly acquainted; for in vain is a
state of eternal felicity and glory revealed
to us, if the way is not also revealed, in
which we must walk in order to reach it.
But full information on this head the reli-
gion of nature was unable to supply; for
the light which she afforded was fitted for
those only who had never violated the laws
of virtue :* Who in no one instance had ever
gone astray. Now, though to such infto^
cent beings her guidance might prove suffi-
cient, yet what shall become of us who

288 The Prospect of a Future State, Sf6.

are sinners ? What shall we do to regain
that state of honour and happiness which
we have so justly forfeited ? What shall we
do to obtain that immortal crown which
by our crimes has fallen from our head? —
We may indeed resolve to repent ; but
though of ourselves we could repent, are
we sure that our repentance vnU be accept-
ed ? Will future obedience, which is no
more than our duty, make an atonement
for past transgressions I — ^Besides, what
will it avail us to repent of our oflFences to-
day, if we shall.be overtaken in the same
or similar ofiences to-morrow? — ^These are

, difficulties which the ,religion of nature
could not solve ; but which the gospel of
Christ has completely removed. It assures
us that all who repent shall have their sins
fotgiven them,because their Redeemer died,
and be sanctified and ' guided unto all truth/
because the Comforter is come. Jesus is * the
♦ way, and the truth, and the life ;' and if
we follow and trust in Him we shall have
life everlasting. By his, death and resurrec-
tion He has opened the gate{9» o;^ heaven, and
made not only clear, but Jjaftiiijous, the path
by which we are to enter in. And to make

V this path still more easy apd; agreeable, He

Hke Prospect of a Future, State, iS^c- 289

bas trodden ' it faimsdf before us. It is
not ohlj p<iiQted out by his precepts, bat
also marked by ids example, and consecrat-
ed by his bloodi If then we helierc and
obey the Lord Jesus Christ we shall ceir-
taini^ be sared. If we go to the Father
thrinigh Hitn we shall in nowise be cast out.

Soda tfcen is the light which the gos^l
5bas thrown upon the doctrioac of a futujie
^ate.. — It has made the evidcijce for our
belief in it much more perspicuous and
certain : — and it has aSbrded axuch addi-
tional in£3rm»tion concerning k, which
could not have been obtained by any ef-
forts of ujaassisted reason. .Lilt has given
%ys the purest and most exalted ideas <^ the;
pbasuresiand honours of a future «tajEe : it
has assured us. of their eternal duradon,
and what is of equal importance, it has
clearly pointed out the only way in which
-we t»n arrive/ at thci enjoyment of them.
(Nowi, on all 'these accounts it is jusfrfysaid
rfvat- * our Saviour Jesus €hristL.jhath
** hrought life and immortality to ligiv^
* through the gospel/

JVIay the glorious 4i«<^vcries aflForded.

390 The Prospect of a Future StatCy ^.

by the gospel fill our hearts with the mofl^
ardent gratitude ! Let us think of the dig-
nity which they give to our character and
condition,' of the comfort and joy which
they introduce into our dweltings, and then
let us ask ourselves if the sublimest ^^t>
tude which bur souls can feel is not due tx>
the Father of mercies ? He guides and sup-
ports us while we live/ and forsakes us
not even when we come to die : he hails
our closing eyes to the ^ight of' the ever-

* lasting hills/ and offers to our gi^asp
the crown of immortalityi.-U.' Blessed be

* the God and Father of our. Lord- Jesus

* Christ, who according to his abundant

* mercy, hath begotten us again unto a

* lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus
> Christ from the dead, to an inheritance

* incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fad-

* eth not away/*

May the revelation of our future exist-
ence strengthen and support us amidst all
the trials and troubles of life ! — ^This effea
it produced in a most remarkable manner,
upon the first professors of our faith. Ani-

. ♦ 4 Pet. i, 3, 4*

The Prospect of a Future State^ S^c. 29 1

mated by the prospect of a blessed eternity
they overcame the world, boldly suffered
persecution, gloried in tribulation, triumph-
cd over pain, and even in its most fright-
ful forms, welcomed the approach of death*
Thanks be to God we have not now the
same perils to encounter, nor the same dif-
ficulties to overcome; but amidst those
lighter afflictions to which we are exposed
let the same patience possess our souls*
Like the first disciples of our Lord, let us
hold fast the profession of our faith with*
out wavering, and let the magnitude of our
future hopes comfort us under the pressure
of our present sorrows.

And even when our last hour shall come,
if we have acted a right part, no disquiet-
ing thoughts need appal us. Enlightened
by the discoveries of the gospel, we should
all know that to the good man death is not
destruction, nay, that it is at death onL
he beginsto/fv^. His exit is the happy
termination of his frailty : his last groan
is the prelude to life and immortality.
Tremble not then, O Christian, at the ap-
proach of the supposed king of terrors ;
but rather trusting in thy Saviour, and an-

392 The Prospect of a Future Stahj if»c.

ticipating Ay future reward, learn to imi-
tate the Agostle Paul, and like him, thut
joyfully and triumphantly to exclaim,-—

* O deadi ! where is diy ^ting ?— -O grave !

* where i^ thy victory ? The sting of death

* is sin, and the strength of sin is die law;

* but thanks be to Grod who giveth us the

* victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.* *

Finally, let the revelation of immorttil
Itfe, powerfully incite us all to prepare for
it, by due elevation of mind and virtuow
habits of thought and action. — ^In propor-
tion to the advantages which we enjoy, is
the improvement which the Almighty re-
quires us to make. If then, with the sub-
lime prospects before us which the gospel
presents, we still continue devoted to the
pursuits of sense, and stupidly indifferent
to our spiritual interests; our conduct, when
scrutinized by the great Searcher of hearts,
will be pronounced totally inconsistent and
inexcusable. It had been better that die Sun
of righteousness had never arisen on our
land. The poor natives of unenlightened
countries, who never heard the glad tid-

— < ■!■ III. ■■■,■

^ I Coft i¥, 55, 56^ 57»

The Prospect of a Future State^ ^c. 293

ings of the gospel will rise up in judgment
against us. Above al! things then, let us
avoid incurring the dreadful guilt of * re-

* ceiving the gmce of God in vain/ May
this never be oot * condemnation, that light

* is come into the world, and we have loved
' darkness rather than lights because our

* deeds are evil ;' but may we study to
' adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour int

* all things.' From this moment may we
relinquish every beloved vice, dissolve
every sinful connection, avoid every place,
and every company that would endanger
our integrity, deprave our hearts, o£Fend
cm* God, and obscure our prospects ! With
soids fired by Christian emulation, may we
all diligently cultivate our reason, practise
Uijuvers^l virtue, and press onward with

C^er lUid ^P^^^^^ ^^^P^ ^^ obtain the
palm of immortality*

THB

KNOWLEDGE OF ETERNAL LIFJEL

1 JOHN ▼» 1%

These things bofo^ I written unto you^ that beUeoe.onthe
nav^e of the Son of God; that j/e may know that ye
have eternal Ufe^ and that ye may beUeve on the name
of the Son of God*

John, the author of this epistle, is styled
the disciple whom Jesus loved, John loved
Jesus with all his heart in return. His
chiefdelight was in submitting to his yoke^
and promoting the triumph of his gospel.
— How beautifully is his love to Jesus
shewn, by the love which he displayed. for
all mankind ! — His heart glowed with un-
cxtinguishable ardour for their happiness,
and as he knew that there could be np
true happiness but in connection with Lq-

The\KnefwkUgt.(rf EterndhJUift. 295

liaess/i and. that holineeas is produced only
h;jf faith ! in Je^a&y he .earnestly wishes them
to obtain, and stand fast in this faidi, —
and assures them that if they did so, their
labour, shpuld not he in. vain in the Lord ;
for he declares, as : life unchanging^ record
of Jneayenlthat the Lord would give them
*: cterniLl life*' * ai . . •

. ' .The .'persons .whom the Apostle^ hero pa]>
ticularly addresses are Christians : those
who have actually obtained this * precious
^>fkitl^/ for they arerisaid to * believe on the
f naiiie'A>f the Aonof Gbd^'ij^Now he ex*
horts^' them n6t/ to sit dotim ' .inactive, or
thiBk that they! had already attained, or
iwcre^alreadyKperfcdt, but to grow ifi grace,
ahdrasfiire after the happiness of tho^e.who
aot ojily ;beKeye, bwt kaiow and are as^ur*
ed that theyrdojbj^cve,* and that th^y shsil
bfiveT: pmabi) hub ItFe* for ever in the len*
JQymeiSit,<if^GQrfl4-— ^f Xhe^e. things, have I
•;writlEen,;'Uintft you^. that believe on the
> namecpfiiA©' Son of Giod, thsu: ye may

* knpWj[that ye have etenial life, and that

* ye may believe on the name of the Son
'?of GddiU-fthat your; belief in the Son
of 1 Gjod.may grow stronger and stronger :

296 The Knowledge of EttfnalMfk.

8o strong that you msiy \» as Bufeciof ,^ cter«-
' nal life' as if you were ailivady iHifxMlstg^r

sion of it. ■'■ * ■ :-^t; .: ;■:■;•'•) ; .

t .

.^J..^ bi'i.

I aiTAix now considetyi^^fihrctx idiat^U
here implied in the (ihrase^^j'edemal fifb^
andxhen the grouttdi oil whicbriwe -iiay
expect to obtain it — O may wteiaittcobtairt
* eternal life :' and may the prospect of it
f>uiif^ oiiv hearts, iuid' ennoble ^d^e^wliole
of 6tir conduct ! yy^. c-?-^.^,-. .^L'..; Y^'-'-^^'^i*

' Eternal Hfe' isithsfi> amisGdi3qg\ ^Msfbc"-
tton of nature, that %ioaiiceil7sablyohappy
condition, to which all trueChrisdcbsis^shafl
one day attain in the indpiediate preiencte
of the Lord : and it is here called ^ eternal
' life^' to intimate that it is incomparably
excellent : that it foUows in clo^e success
s^ion the present life : and that ^ it is as m^
timately connected with dur character and
attainments in the [»*e8e»t life, as our
character and attainments at any ^e pe-
riod of the present life are wMi ' our-cha-
racter and attainotients at a futtrre period.

It is called * eternal life/ to! intinftate
ztit is incomparablif iKcelknlt.,j^JLi£^ is the

Tht.'^Knowkdg€ of Eterwd Life. 29?

iao9t ptedous^ of blessifligSt' because it 19
dve fbafi^aciba of all oiar pleasures. Heace
ic is oftii-MfiployedtO' denote every thing
that is good.^ When the^soul is filled with
eiymfoit pi^^'cikDed iKrith triwtnpb, we szjy^^
tMryU I i^.^ ;; JV.(ooidingly ^ . lu^aven itself if
Ati^ami^kittdniift. — >^ If thou wilt enter in<*
iTO^^ceeprthe/CominaoKlments^'^ And at
afi the-^om&rfis of the 'present life perish
witbttlfidJusii^: as all its pkasurea are xm*
(bextaiijtiaiiidjfleeiang, dn Apostle by way of
Comiiafl^dtstribea.dieaVeh as ^ eternal Mi!^
It IB dot o|atly^ pure zxA perfect but without
deckpatidr wfdiont ehd«:;it.is enjoyed with
Godjvaiud is indestrvuctH^le as his thit>cbe,
etdtiial ^ » lub' faemgr^f^Amazing bles^ng !
it is iM!yooii/>descriptiQqy beyond concep-
tion^ !v And lydt the fact.4s-^:;Gertam as the
doctrine^ of a fuitnoire life itself ; for it is
scarcely tmsx* spoken of in; Scriptnire^ but
some epithet is annexed tait in order to iin*
press our minds with the perpetuity of its
natu]:}e«-«t^!rbe persons, the possessions, the
honoursi >of the blessed are all mentioned
as eicmaL'— Hick out life, even at its ut-
most extent, is but short : like a vapour it

' » *»»

* Ma|t. xiHf J7*

S98 The'Hnowledge of EttmaVlAfe.

vanUhedi away ; but in heaven .'jdus corr

* rupdble shall puc(m incorruptiioa^Bnd this

* mortal put on immortality. *4^Uere oue
dearest poesessions are held By a Very imccxv
tain tenure ; tfa^ are ours tonday j to-mor-
row diey are gone for evo*; 'butmheaTea
we hare treasures ihat wax iiofc old^ and of
wluch nothing^ ; can .'deprive ti8^—;-yee, we
hare there ' an laJuring substtmcc/— ^ilere
all the honours to which nwn attatn, are
generally empty and uns^sfact!ar|r;tand
Ibch as death . will ■ >soon, and;- thei^E Jaiowt
not how soon, call them to resign j but in
heaven there awaits the sunts not only a
far more exceeding, but * an etertial weight
' of glory.* Hailed »nong the blessed of the
Father, they receiire * a kingdom diat can-

* not be moved,— a crown that fadeth not

* away.' And'being thus durable and ex-
cellent, no wonder that their state is deno-
minated — * eternal life,'

It is also thus denominated because it
follows in close succession the present life.
-i-£ven at present. Christians are said to
quickened from spiritual death, and
Jed to put forth all the energies, and
*1 the pleasures of spiritual life. Now

^M>£vf

The Knowledge of Eternal Life. 299

these present energies and pleasures are. the
beginnings of the energies and pleasure of
^ eternal life/ We receive them from the
unchanging, ever*-living God, and there is
no given period during which they shall
cease to exist. Even at death, that most
trying and most formidable period, they
are neither destroyed, nor even for a nwi.
ment interrupted. Death only introduces
the Christian to a better life : a life which
is the strict unbroken continuation c^ the
present ; but so continued that our powers
become immediately invigorated, our na-p
ture ma.tured, our pleasures perfected. The
divine life already b^gun in the heart, knows
neithet end nor intermission : it will for
ever exist, and be for ever improving.—*
How false then the idea of those who think
that at death our mental powers are suspend-
ed : that the lamp, not only of animal, but
of spiritual life, is extinguished in the tomb,
ottid shall never be rekindled, till the morn-
ing of the resurrection ! This is a gloomy
notion, which, if true, could not but damp
the Christian's mind, — and comes far short,
of iwhat we are led to understand by the
phrase * eternal life.' Were this ' life' which
we already begin to enjoy, susceptible of

300 The Knowledge of Eternal Life,

iuch a pause, it could not but appear mur
tilated and imperfect. The mournful pro-
spect ^ like the dead fly in the apothecary's
* ointment^' would tend to diminish its
value, and obscure the lustre of its beauty^
But this gloomy idea cannot be true, for
enrol reason tells us that the aoul is a spi^
rit^.not made up of parts like the body,
and consequently not liable to be dissolved
with, the body. We have no ground then,
for suppoffioig that the soul viU not exist,
even in a separate state; and not only exists
but think and act, and, if a Christian soul,
feel happy. -^But the Scriptures put this
doctrine beyond the possibility of doubt.
They represent to us Jesus Christ himself
taking the existence of an intermediate state
for granted, in his parable of Dives and
Lazarus, and even saying, in so many words,
to the « converted thief who expired with
him on the cross, — ^ To-day shalt thou be
^ with me in paradise/ But here I need
not enlarge, as I suppose there are but few
ivho do not believe that a good man^s
soul is no sooner absent from the body,,
than it is present with the Lord : that imr
mediately upon his dissolution he rests
from his labours, and his works do follow

The Knowledge of Eternal Life 301

him. May vrc be all filled mth his faith,
.^like him, die in the Lord, and inherit
* eternal life.*

Again, heaven is denominated ^ eternal
^ life,' because it i^ as intimately connected
wi^b ofur character and attainments in the pre*'
sent lifh^ as our character and attainments at any
one period of the present life are with our cba*
ra<Aer and attainments at a future period. — Our
present life consists of different parts ;-*-jbf
dlilcUiood, of youth, of manhood^ and of old
a^. Yet all these parts, though different, are
comprehended under this i&rase,— our tcm^
poral life. In like manner, the Christian -8
present and future life are very difierent, yet
being aotintimately connected, they are
compr^ended under this one phrase, our
eternal life. — ^And as the reception of good
principles, and the formation of good ha^
bits in childhood and youth, are requisite
to form respectability and usefulness in
iBanhood, so the reception of christian
prmciples, and the formation of christiam
habits in the present state, are absolutely
requisite to fit us for the enjoyment df
blessedness in the future state. Without ho-
lipess here, thwe can be no happiness here.

302 The Knowledge of Eterfial Life,

after.-—* Without holiness no mail can sed

* the Lord.' They are only the holy who
are * partakers of the heavenly calling :' they
are only the holy, says the book of God,
who have * part in the first resurrection.'*
—The beginning is not more strictly con-
nected with the end, than holiness is with

* everlasting life.'—* Ye,' says the Apostle
to Christians, * have your fruit unto holi-

* ness, and the end everlasting life.' f From
this we may form some idea of what consti-
tutes the happiness of heaven. Heaven con-
sists in principles and habits of grace, im-
proved, ripened, brought to their utmost
perfection. Justly to conceive of heaven,
behold and contemplate, even now, true re-
ligion. — True religion is the know^ledge of
God and of our Saviour, and cordial uniform
obedience to the glorious gospel. Now
such knowledge and obedience perfected,
without even the smallest defect, brought to

their final consummation, these constitute

heaven. There shall the saints actually be
all that they ever longed to be : sin and
sorrow shall be done away : they shall
see, and dwell for ever with the blessed

Heb. xii, 14. Itieb, in, 1. Rev. xx, 6. f Rom. vi, 22.

TM Kmwkdge of^£iemul Lifi. 303

God, asd 8ecuig:him:^ashe isi they shall
have :9potks8 purity imd/zfalhess of joy :
they; Sah^jbe satisfied iiith his liktfiieSs/
aiid par;i^]|^9 of ^dko^e pkisnre^^ which afe at
hi&rightihsqi4^op.eyerfaM>re.--:-This is * 6ter-

* nafl life.'-ttHAe/d^^rc thereiew brmany who
sk?^^ inh^^^A^^rrrManyi^ for John to whom
^heJptt&^vcEftjr tnajjsions were i laid opefi, its-
ipi:^ u«. tiiij: he* b,ehddr^ great multitude,
f I which ftGi.E»^aj:oixld ntmiber, of all nations ^
*; aB4 kijadtfC^ds^ and peopk, and tongfues,

* standing. ; before . the throne, and before

* the I,*amb;. clothed with white robes and

* palms in theu: hands/ * Animating, €*i^
rapturing thought !•— and yet .the vile spi-
rit pf selfishness, of. system, ac«i of ^artjr;
would fain appropriate heaven to itself,: and
make it a place where none but some
scanty sect could ci>ter / ^Often have k fierce
Contending. few con^igiied in cold btood^'all
but themselves to the vengeance of etertifal
fipe. God of mercy ! when I think of this,
J recoil with horjfor ; my spirit is stirred
within me ; indignation and surprise strive
for the mastery ; but I rejoice that Thou,

and not man, art to pass sentence upon

, f I. ". ' ■■ . I

♦ Rev, vii,'0* ;':

» . I

^04 The Knowledge of Eternal Life,

me ; a&d I atiticipate with rapture that glo^
riousday when \» shall meet ^Hhiet^ na tiii->
kind thought shaH be baHK>«recl9 ^o heasH:
be c<»Qtracted^i.~^ken all s^iH rejoice ia, be
tv€T adding to, and e^er receiTing fixrai,
the general fidtiicUy«.i.J3nly iet vts think of
the immensity of the untrerse^ of the in^
fiaitude €€ diviner grace, of the efficacy
of the blood of Christ, and the- power ^
Gpd^ spirit; and tben kt us say^ Wickii
cpcbclude, that.bat' Of /^j^«ei shall 4»e saved.
No, a greats am imMumerabk multifnde ^ shall
c^tainly ii^erit ^ etenxal tife.^--^HAjid all
good men^ of whatever name, and <£ what-
ever denominadioiDi^ are warranted to ^^x-
peot that dbey shall compose a part of «hat
happy number*

^ I

Lit us now inquire, as it was proposed,
upon what grounds their 'Cjcpeotation' is
founded. . ^ :

' ' • . I . *

To have a well-founded expectadon^of
any good, two things are requisite*; l^st,
we must know that such a good realty ex-
ists ; and, secondly, thait we are qualified
to obtain it. To have a well-grounded
hope of heaven or ^ eternal life/ then, we

The \Kn9wled^( of Eternal Xife,* 305

mUiSt know that: such a state really exists
as heayea,pr * eter^^9jl Hf^ j' ,^pdj^ secop-dly,
tI]^at;W9 %y^ ^1^^ dispositions, and conduct
whic^ characterize ihpse who gre, destined
to- enjoy . it.~Nqw we 4p iaiow that such a

Qur,QY7,a n^ tureii&oni Ibe jiat;ure;of Go9t,an4
from; what he has Kveakd to us m his word,

• .-77,. ..^^ . ,. '^rr(;7i Y- :. 1.. ;.' l.^:.'fff ,/■ .i;» ;

• • ...

have, within, w., ft SSHi' "^1^4; ^^ ?rP^^?<= •
^7 ?ftK™atpri^,^jpijf^t^al.5)^fiijcipl^e,,ai^
which cohseq,upp.^lyj.J5ii^j ^^^?^,*'^^ {>%v.M*f>
solution of this bodily frame, — in one
,^PSf..;??ie..-know ^aj;,qv^ii sou^ bgi^jg^^ |pi-
rit, is ,|Qcorrtt{)til^le« ' naturally . imiportaJ[.

. "W^ know to,o> that. .the,re, is another and
a more perfect state, .from r, the naturq of
God., God is infinitely just, and will ren-
der to every, man, according to his works.
But here this exact retribution 'does notal-
ways take place. I^ere virtue is ^ gfte^n de-
pressed, while proud vice reigns triun\phant.
A Paul, an eminent Appstk, is a prisoner
in chains, whilst a Nero, vile to a prc>*
verb, is seated upon a throne. — A Dives,
a loathsome sensualist, we find clothed in

306 The Knowledge of Eternal Lift.

purple and fine linen, whilst a pious La^
zarus, dear to God and the charge of an-
gels, lies at the fiensualist^s gate Full of
sores.— And thus has it been, more or less,
always. — * They are the ungodly/ saith the
Psaloiist^ * who prosper in the world, and

• increase in riches.** What conclusion
then, must we draw from this ? — doubtless
the following ; — that as sure as God is just
there is' 'a reward for the righteous; apd
that though now they may sow in tears,
they shall hereafter reap in joy, and be
cifowned with immortal glory,

* ■ " • ■

■•■■'■ - ■ ■ . : ■

i' 1 REMARK too, that good men, while here,
; seem to be in a state of continual improve-
^-/mcnt, advancincr continually in wisdom
and holiness,, *erpwing in grace and in

• the knowledge of our Lord and Savi-

• our Jesus Christ/ Now, both the wis-
dom and goodness of God oblige us to
believe that such capacious powers, such
excellent natures, cannot be destined* for
this life only. We must believe, that they
are destined for a higher sphere, where
they shall receive much larger measures of

« Fsalfn Ixxiii, 12.

The, Knowledge of Eternal Life. 307

perfection and felicity; where they shall go
on brightening more and more to all eter-
nity. Accordingly, good men' in every age
have indulged themselves in these pleasing
pro8p<5cts. From this vain illusive world
they have gladly looked forward to a bet-
ter onet and this, even in the dark day of
adversity, nay, at the dread hour of death,
has been able to infuse a * joy unspeakable'
into their hearts. — * We know,' say they,

* that if our earthly house of this taber-

* nacle were dissolved, w;e have a building

* of Qod, an house not made with hands,

* eternal in the heavens.'* f — And their
belief of this does not rest merely upon fal-
lible reasoning : it is completely established
by the express declarations of the gospel
of Christ. .The gospel has dispelled the
shadows of the everlasting evening, and
^ brought life and immortality to light.'

* Behold,' -(says its blessed A.uthor to his
folloNvers),, * I give unto my sheep eternal

* Hfe^'-^* tn my Fa^ther's house, af e ma^ny

* ma^n^ions.fr^-* 1 go ,to> prepare ^a, place for

♦ 2 Cor, V, *V - •■ .'•'■'■'i .

•j- How cruel are those men who labour to rob us of this
precious article of our faith ! yj'e may well say to them, what
was said in ahdther c^sCf-^Pt^^y fhmuni:ul^ ufikm^spet' to*

tius humani generis. • ' - ' '- - '*'i>''* ■ !•'

U 2

308 The Knowledge of Eternal Life.

< you.' — Accordingly, lie l^f ^down ■ in the
grave, — ^rose ag^ain as the first fruits of
them that slcfep, and .ascending ihtohea-
yen, entered there, as the • Forerunner' of
his followers, tb give them asSura&oe of all
things being ready for their weltdtne re-
ception intb those blessed regions.* ^

• J 1

With so absolute a certainty d6 Chris-
tians know that there is such k state as
heaven J or, as the Apostle denomiiiate^ it, —
' eternal life.' And they may know too,
that they themselves are among the happy
number who are destined to inherit it.—
They may know' this from th^ fruits of
the Spirit which they bring forth: from
their sanctified and heavenly dispositions
and conduct. — Thbse who have* this glo-
rious destination, are characterised by
our Lord himself as persons who believe
in his name : who love much, and love
without dissimulation : who joy to ap-
proach his presence, and join in all the ex-
ercises of devotion: who are pure in heart,
or, though conscious of much imper-

* The reader will find the aboYe argumojits more fully stat-
in the TENTH DISSERTATION.

The Knowledge of Eternal Life. 309

fection and sin, yet sorrow for it after a
godly sort, and desire and pray without
ceasing, that they may obtain grace to
enable them to keep consciences void of
offence toward God and toward man —
These are the heirs of * eternal life ;' and
to these Christ shall give a crown and a
kingdom. And by investing them with
such a character, and fkvouring them with
so many privileges, he has graciously given
them a pledge and an earnest already
of what he has prepared for them. In the
feast of a good conscience, and the expe-
rience of the ennobling, gladdening influ-
ence of the Holy Spirit, they have the wit-
ness within themselves, that they are num-
bered with his chosen. They feel a charm-
ing serenity diffusing itself over their
minds : they have^ a peace divine, which
paarseth all understanding : a full source of
enjoyment of which nothing can deprive
them. vA present Deity is felt : a foretaste
of immortality is given : the jciys of the
blessed are let dfawn : * eternal life* is al-
ready gifted to men.

Now is * eternal life* gifted to us ? Do
we believe in the Son of God ? — and does

310 The Knowledge of Eternal Life.

our belief purify our hearts, and make us
zealous of good works ? Is our conversa-
tion in heaven, and have wc good hope
through grace of at last entering into hap-
piness ? Then let us be strong in the Lord,
go on in his name, and be patient unto the
end, for * we shall never perish, neither

* shall any be able to pluck us out of his

* hand/ * Fear not,* he says to us, * little
' flock, it is your father's good pleasure to
' give you the kingdom/

How foolish, how wretched are those
whose state is different, those who are not
enlivened by faith, who are wit hout God^
in the world, who are spiritually "dead, and
have no hope of * eternal Ufe!*;; — ^ There

* U no peace, saith my God, to the wick-

* ed/ — Unless they be converted and be-
lieve in the Son of God they shall die the
second death; they shall go away,. awful
thought! into everlasting punishment —
But, O Lord, open their eyes, deliver them
from so fatal a piistake ! By thy Almighty
grace may they yet be quickened, sancti*
fied, and saved ! — O may we all believe in
the Son of God and know that we have

* eterpallifcl'

TH£

GLORY OP THE RIGHTEOUS ix

HEAV EN.

MATTHEW ziii, 43.

Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the

l^gdom of their Father.

All men may be divided into two classes,
the righteous and the unrighteous.— The
unrighteous are those who have never been
melted into due contrition for their sins,
who are strangers to the sanctifying influ-
ence of the gospel of Christ, who have
never been created again in Him unto good
works. Miserable men ! if they continue
impenitent they must perish. — ^Thc rightc*
ous again, are those who are made free
from sin^ and have become servants of

312 The Glory of the Righteous^ S^c.

God: who are * quickened together with
« Christ,' and * have their fruit unto holi-

* Aess.' — * Precious in the sight of the Lord,'
they are blessed in their going out and
coming in, through life, in death, and for
ever. They only are * the excellent* and
the happy here ; and yet all that thfey arc
here, is nothing when compared with their
glory hereafter. * Then shall they shine

* forth as the sun in the kingdom of their
' Father.'

We who profess to be Christians must,
if we really be what we profess ourselves
to be, feel it pleasant, delightful, now to
contemplate that heaven of perfection and
happiness which lies before us. We pre-
tend not indeed, fulJy to describe, or even
to conceive it ; but this we know in general,
that it will consist in the maturity of our
natutie, in its intellectual, moral, and social
capacities. For when minds are sufl&cient-
ly ijnlarged and enlightened, invested with
perfect ptirity, and united together by the
delightful ties of friendship and love, they
- have attained the consummation of felicity.
We may conclude/ then, with the fullest
certainty, that the vast ealai^cment of ia-^

The Glory of the Right eotis, cj-c. 313:

tellcct whigh they jshall have received, the
perfection in holiness to which they shall
have arrived, and the divine society to
which they shall be joined, will be the
chief ingredients of that bliss which is
represented as the portion of the righte-
ous, when they * shine forth as the sun in
* the kingdom of their Father J — Let us now
meditate on these ingredients of our fu-
ture happiness ; and may the Lord bless

our meditations, by making them the means
of fitting, more and, more, our temper and
character for the enjoyment of this hap*
piness \

First, let us consider what will be the
vast enlargement of our intellectual powers.
— From the right exercise of our intellec-
tual powers, arises one of the chief sources
of our happiness. The light of the sun is
not so pleasant to the eye, as the light of
knowledge to the mind. The gratifications
of sense yield but a delusive charm com-
pared with the intellectual joys of which
we are susceptible. But these intellectual
joys, however refined, are at present much
interrupted. However wide the extent of
human knowledge ; however deep the re<-

3l4 Tlie Glory of the Righteous^ Spc.

searches of human wisdom ; still it ^xnust
be confessed, that in this life our faculties
are exceedingly limited, and our views ex-
ceedingly confined. Light to us is every-
where mixed with darkness. Wherever we
cast our eyes, or turn our thoughts., we arc
reminded of our ignorance ; are liable to
perpetual mistakes ; and often fall into
them even in our wisest pursuits. But
when the day of immortality dawns, all
this shall vanish : the incumbrances of
flesh and blood shall no longer grieve us,
nor the thick shades of ignorance ever miore
surround us. The happy spirit emand*
pated, and having left the spoils of mor-
tahty behind it, shall be able to compre-
hend, fully and at once, all the truths and
objects which now either come but very
partially within, or entirely escape its ob-
servation. — Here we are only children, but
in heaven we shall arrive at the manhood
of our being : and therefore we may just-
ly infer, that the strength and vigour of
our intellectual powers tben^ will surpass,
at least, as much what they are now^ as the
reason and judgment of a man exceed those
of a child. Nay, it is probable that vari-
ous and unknown faculties inherent in the

The Glory of the Righteous, ^c. 315

human mind, may there be unfolded and
gratified, which here have never been evolv-
ed ; because, perhaps, in this sublunary
world there is no occasion for their exer-
cise. As those faculties which, in a state
of infancy, lie dormant, and scarcely be-
gin to make their appearance, at a more ad-
vanced period strikingly display themselves,
put forth all their energies and press on
the sphere of angels;— so likewise upon
our removal from this to the heavenly
^cene, it is by no means unreasonable to
suppose, that powers formerly latent will
then be displayed and exerted on their pro-
per objects, adding to mind a lustre so
transcendent as to eclipse all that has pre-
ceded. But however this may be, certain
we are, that the faculties with which we are
at present blessed, and which are essential
to our nature, shall be to a wonderful de-
gree invigorated and improved. They shall
be capable of taking in far more copious
views, and abundantly larger emanations
of God*8 excellence, nay, of tracing the hid-
den springs of his mysterious operations*
— ^The volumes of nature, of providence,
and of redemption shall be revealed : all the
records both of time and eternity shall be

316 The Glory of the Righteous^ ^e.

opened and e?:plaiued. — ^We already know,
in some measure, the charms of novelty, and
feel the delight which arises from the con-
templation of objects new, grand, and beau-
tiful. Let us imagine then, if we can, the
pleasing sensatioas we shall experience, the
high transports we shall feel, when other
and unseen worlds shalj be disclosed to our
view, and all the glorie3 of the celestial par
radise beam op pur wondering eyes. — Such
a felicity, even in prospect, enlarges the
mind, and fiUsi it with emotions which,
while it feels, it cannot express. And that
our intellectual powers in a future state,
shall really be thus amazingly enlarged,
is not a matter of mere conjecture ; it is
what experience, and reason, and revela-
tion lend their combined aid to confirm. —
Experience teaches us that attivity is es*
sential to mind, and necessary to true en-
jpyment.-u-Reason tells us, that the acqui-
sition of knowledge, particularly that which
respects the works and ^the ways of the
Most High, is the noblest exercise in which
the active powers of the mind can be em.
ployed, and a source of the most refined
enjoyment of which an intellectual being
is capable.~And to confirm the dictates of

The Glonf of the Righteous, ^c. 317

reason, rtvdation assurtes us, thit * no^ We
•- knOiTtr <>iily in part ; but that herbafter
*^ that which is in part shall be done awa^ ;
' o^that :now we see through a glass dark-

* ly ; but that then we shall see. God fact?

* to face, and know him even as also we
^ are known :' — know him not merely by
inference, 'by narratioAy or by testittiony ;
but knowHim in a mahner akin to the way
in whicni w^ klnow any one who is present
to our v&ew ; yea, know God as certaitily,
though not so fully, Hot fio comprehen-
sively, as' He hitoselif knows us who are
the workmanship of his own handsi — ^Bliss-
ful perfection! Most ain&^ing exaltation!
O how the siaints of Godi'ifhus full' of his
Kght, must encircle His 'throne rejoicing.
With adoring hearts, M^nlth rapturous souls,
they ever exclaim, * Great and marvellous
* are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just
f and true are all thy ways, thou King of
^ saints.' — ^Yes, marvellous, divine indeed,
are the works of God ; and even now let us
all search, and contemplate, and adore them.
While the tnen of the world walk in a vahi
show, and tire themselves in folly, — ^O let
us expatiate wide in the fields of wis-
dom^ cxplote the traces of infinite Beauty,

318 The Glory of the Righteous^ ^c.

the impressions of celestial Majesty, — lose;
ourselves in the depths of tinutterftble
grace, — the knowledge of the adorable Je-
sus, and thus taste in time the pleasures
of eternity.

But, sECo^fDLY, the future perfection of
the moral powers of the saints^ or, in other
words, the perfection of their holiness, will
prove another, and I may add, a still greater
source of their exuberant felicity. For how-
ever pure and dignified the pleasures may be
which flow from, exalted intellect or mental
enlargement, yet the pleasures flowing from
holiness as much exceed them in point of
real inherent value, as right action exceeds,
or is preferable to right thinking, or recti-f
tude of temper to mere soundness of judg-
ment or justness of speculation. Npw, all
the exquisite joys which arise from a state
of moral rectitude or spiritual perfection,
good men at a more advanced period shall
experience to a degree far exceeding our
highest conceptions. Freed from the pre-
sent debility of their nature, and the ne-
cessary avocations of the present life, all
their powers will be employed in serving,
without interruption, the Lord their Maker.

The Glory of the Righteous^ 4'^. 31 d

Their whole business will be to perform
his will : their whole pleasure to celebrate
his praise. — The happiness of a state like
this, the Christian even now begins, in
some measure, to experience. Having hit
heart renewed by grace, and the evil bias
of his affections corrected, he enjoys a
peace divine: a peace which passeth un-
derstanding. He has moments 'of hdly
transport to which the world is a stranger.
Borne up by the secret influence of the
Spirit, he ascends the mount of God, pe-
netrates the veil, and partakes of the plea-
sures and employments of the blessed. But,
alas ! in this imperfect state, such pleasures
are of short duration. The good man^
though renewed by grace, is still, while he
continues here, depressed by the latent
power of remaining corruption. Number-
less faults and imperfections cleave to his
nature : the deceitfulncss of his heart fre-
quently leads him astray : discordant prin-
ciples of action continue to vex his soul,
and ruffle his heavenly repose. Pressed by-
temptation from without, and betrayed by
passion from within, he often, with tears,
laments the wretchedness of his state, and
goes on his way sorrowing. But when our

320 The Glory of the Righteous^ ^4.

immortal spirits escape from these cor^
ruptible bodies, they shall be: subject to
none of those evils which we now deplore.
Nature shall then never revolt from the dor
minion of grace : inadvertence shall never
betray : impetuosity of passion shall never
precipitate, nor the frailty of our frame
lead us into steps fatal to our peace. In
heaven, the region of perfect innocence,
no vestige of guilt remains. Resplendent
holiness adorns ' the mind,, and unalloyed
felicity satisfies . the soul. However great
then, or however numACOUs the: difficulties
we have now ; xo encounter, or however
formidable the foes we have to overcome,
let not this, ye followers of Jesus, ever ob-
struct your progress, or damp the ardour
of your souls. Heaven is the near home
of Christian pilgrims. There, in the pre*
sence of their Saviour, they sh^U sootx en-
joy eternal repose. Thrice happy they who
have already finished their course, and
thus obtained the victory ! Crowns of
righteousness are placed upon their heads,
and palms of triumph put into their hands.
' — May all of us be partakers of their joy :
—Thou Spirit of our God fire us with
their love, and make us meet for their glory !

The Ghry of the Righteous^ ^c. 321

—Celestial company ! we seek yotir purity:
we long for your society.— -O now to be
cleansed from pollution, to kave our robes
washed and made white in the blood of
the Lamb» and to * be filled with all the
* fulness of Gk)d !' *— Thus may we enter
in through the golden gates, and mingle
with you in the holy city !^j:eceive from
Jesus the garment of refulgent light, and
wear with Jesus the diadem of glory !

This leads us to consider, in the third
FLAC£, the happiness which good men will
enjoy ia heaven, not only from the perfec-
tion, both intellectual and moral to which
they will have attained ; but also from the
blissful society to which they will be join-
ed. We are impelled by nature to asso-
ciate with those of our kind. Were man
to pass his days as a solitary individual^
the best purposes of his being would be
totally defeated. The benevolent propen-
sities of his nature would be rendered en*
tirely useless ; and instead of increasing his
happiness, by having no room for indulg-
ence, they would tend only to disquiet and
torment him. Hence we have the best

IMK

* £ph. iiii 19.

322 The Glory of the Righteomj ^c.

reason to believe that the future bliss of
the righteous will be enjoyed in society ;
because such a state is suited to our nature,
and productive of the purest enjoyments.
Could we suppose that in the scenes of fu-
turity , the sweets of social intercourse would
ever cease to be felt, wc must suppose, that
at the most perfect period of our being, we
shall be deprived of the most generous and
refined of all our pleasures : wc nxust sup-
pose what surely caifnot be true, that hu-
man nature will be radically changed, and
that the best affections of the human heart
will cease to operate : for such is the texture
of the human mind, that in a state of so-
litude we pine and languish. Our com*
forts and our joys, from having no kindred
soul to share them, become tasteless and
insipid. It is in society only that we can
relish those pure delicious joys which em-
bellish and gladden the life of man- But
the degree of those pleasures depends much
upon the nature and dispositions of the be-
ings with whom wc are connected. If, for
instance, weakness, pride, selfishness, and
a variety of turbulent, unfriendly passions,
prove predominant, then must the plea-
sures of social life be proportionally dimi*
xdshed-~oftea entirely destroyed.

The Glory of the 'Righteous^ ^-c. 323

Hence it is, that in the present imperfect
state of man, the happiness of society is so
wofully marred. Strife, guile, and malevo-
lence infest our dwellings. The cordial
sweets of friendship are embittered by
contentions, and the amicable waters of
society troubled by inbred storms. Suspi-
cions and jealousies rankle in our breasts,
mutual fears alienate the heart, and -selfish
and unkindly passions freeze the genial
current of affection in the soul. Even the
few chosen friends whom we think we can
for ever love and esteem, whose disposi-
tions we fondly imagine accord with our
own, and with whom we could wish to
live and die, often occasion to us pungent
distress. We feel deeply interested in their
fate : when trouble befals them, we pine
with sorrow : when death snatches them
away, we bleed with grief—are torn with
anguish. But were we united to beings of
a more exalted order, — beings whose na-
ture raised them superior to misfortune,
placed them beyond the reach of disease
and death, who were not the dupes of pas-
sion and prejudice, all of whose views
were enlarged, whose goodness was per-
fected, and whose spirits breathed nothings

324 The Glory of the RighteouSy 4r^.

but love and friendship, — ^then would the
evils of which we now complain cease to
be felt. Pain and anguish would cleave
no longer to human existence. Peace, har-
mony, and joy, would hold perpetual reign.
Pleasures pure and unalleyed would charm
the human soul. — ^Accordingly, we are led^
not merely from the conclusions of reason,
but from the direct promises of the gospel,
to look for this golden era of innocence
and social bliss. The express declarations
of heaven assure us that the inhabitants
of that better country which lies beyond
the grave, enjoy in the highest perfection,
all the tender, delightful reciprocations of
love. Freed from imperfection, and cloth-
ed with immortality, they have nothing
to disturb their peace, or interrupt their
dulcet harmony. Not one malevolent dis-
position, not one suspicious temper, not
one frozen heart, dwells in all their fair as-
sembly. Pure and benevolent spirits only
inhabit the mansions of peace and purity.
There the noise of conflicting passions
ceases, and the strife of interfering in-
terests for ever ends. There the tumult of
faction never rises, nor is the voice of dis-
cord ever heardt Hosannahs flow melli-

The Ghry of the Righteous^ S^c. 325

fluous from every tongue, and boundless
joy beats incessant from breast to breast.

But besides the felicity springing from
perfected hearts, the saints feel also in heaven
all those pleasurable emotions which arise
from the renewal of the most tender con-
nections. There they recognise and again
embrace those whom they before knew, and
valued, and loved. They feel cemented in
endless union with all the pious souls with
whom they * took sweet counsel' on earth.—.
Yes, our dear friends, if friends too of the
Lord, whom we have laid in the dust, for
whom our sad eyes have long dropt the
unbidden tear at every recal of their me-
mory, shall then be restored to us, — ^re^
stored to us immortal, holy, and happy,—-
* altogether lovely.' Unutterable ecstacy !—
to sit down, not only with them, but with
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob,^^all the
vast army of saints, all the myriads of an-
gels in the kingdom of God. But what is
even this, to sitting do¥m with God him-
self, and the Lamb who suffered for our sins.
This is itself a paradise of joy. Without
this, exclaims the enraptured saint, para-
dise itself would be no paradise to me. But

X 3

526 The Glory of the RighteoiLSj J^c.

thou Lord wilt shew us the path of life j —
shew us Jesus the Saviour of men unveiled,
— and through Him, all the effulgence of
Divinity. Placed in the light of his coun-
tenance, seeing Him as H? is, all the holy
city shall ' ring with jubilee/ and a tide
of the purest, most exalted pleasure -flow
in upon every faculty — all the beauties of
heaven charm the eye, and all the glories
of the new Jerusalem gleam upon the mind.
The shades of night with which we are
now encompassed, shall then split asunder,
and sin and sorrow for ever fly away. God
himself shall wipe away all tears from our
eyes. He shall conduct us in flowery paths,
and to living fountains of waters. He shall
lead us under those verdant shades where
the sun shall not hght on us, nor any heat ;
but where, without interruption, our souls
shall overflow with joy unspeakable and
full of glory.

And while our joy shall be thus pure and
perfect in the kingdom of our Father, it
shall also be eternal. Unlike the joys of this
world, which are uncertain and transient,—
it shall never, never, have an end. And
as this joy shall never have an end, so it

The Glory of the Righteous^ S^c. 327

shall never be at its height : while eternal-
ly enduring, it shall be eternally increas-
ing. — ^Yes, through all eternity, G^d shall
behold all his children shining forth like

the sun, more and more beautifying in

his eye ; and receiving brighter and brighter
accessions to their glory. — Most elevat-
ing hope ! — Astonishing, transporting pro-*
spect! Let us fix our faith delighted on
the view, stretch the pinions of the mind,
rise above this lower orb, and inhale the
spirit of our heavenly region. O thus to
set our affections upon things above ; even
now to have within us an emanation of
the Deity, and at last to be satisfied with
his likeness, — changed into the same image
from glory to glory ! Thou Holy Spirit !
come down into our hearts ! Lord Jesus
take possession of our spirits ! — Deny u^
what thou wilt, — deny us riches,— deny
us health,— nay, all the comforts of the
world ; — ^but deny us not this high felicity,
—the full joys of heaven, — the inexpress^
iblc pleasures of eternity. Jesus ! it is thy
name we plead. Shew us thy mercy.
lead us to thy glory !

THfc

GLORY OF THE RIGHTEOUS in

HEAVEN.

>IATTH£W xiii, 43.

Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the

kingdom of their Father.

The idea of another and a better world
seems to be congenial to the human mind.
It has been generally entertained in every
age. The philosophers of ancient times^
who had nothing but the dim light of na*
ture to direct them, cherished the en-
nobling notion of immortal existence. Even
the untutored savage, flatters himself with
the pleasing prospect of being one day
transported into happier regions, and an^

Tlie Glory of the Righteous^ S^c. 329

ticipates the pleasure which he will there
enjoy in the cbmpany of his fathers. All
feel within themselves the pleasing hope^
the fond desire, of immortality . But though
Nature has given to all her children some
conceptions of immortality ; still it must
be acknowledged that her information is
far from proving satisfactory. Hence we
find the most eminent sages of the heathen
world, even while desiring and hoping for
such a state, confessing themselves unable
to demonstrate its existence. — Doubtful and
insecure were all their prospects. While to-
wards futurity they bent their longing eyes,
a thick cloud, impenetrable by unassisted
reason, intercepted their view. But from this
state of painful anxiety we, in these latter
days, are happily relieved. To us immortal
life is clearly revealed,— more clearly than it
was even to those ancient worthies to whom
God graciously revealed himself and com-
mitted his oracles. During the dispensa*
tion under which they lived, the prospect
of a better world was aflForded them ; but
by dark and distant allusions. The city
of God was seen only from afar ; — ^its glory
was obscured by intervening shades. But
by the gospel these shades are dispelled ;

530 The Glory of the Righteous ^ ^c.

the sun of righteousness has arisen : eter-
nal objects brighten : heaven, with all its
glory, opens to our eyes.— There we be-
hold the * righteous/ — those who are jus-
tified by grace, ind devoted to the service
of their Saviour, adorned with all the ho-
liness, filled with all the happiness, and
clothed with all the honour, which can be
conferred upon their nature. — ^Here they
are as a city set upon a hill : they are the
light of the world; but all this is not
worthy to be named, when we think of*
what they shall be when they * shine forth

* as the sun in the kingdom of their Fa-

* ther.' — There sin and pain shall never
enter : old things shall have passed away,
and all things have become new. The hap-
piness there enjoyed shall have every thing
to increase, and nothing to diminish its
value. In its nature it shall be full and sa-
tisfactory, and as to its duration, it shall
be lasting as eternity.

It shall be complete and satisfactory: it
shall be the happiness of the whole man,
the maturity of all our powers, and the
gratification of all our best and noblest
feelings. Recovered from this state of

The Glory of the Righteous^ SfC. 331

darkness and uncertainty, our intellectual
faculties shall be enlightened with the
beams of heavenly knowledge : untainted
with moral pollution, we shall be invested
with robes of celestial purity j and, united
to God, to angels, and glorified spirits, an
innumerable and blessed company, we shall
enjoy the highest degree of social felicity.

And as the happiness of the righteous
in the kingdom of their Father shall thus
be complete and satisfactory, it shall also
be lasting as eternity — All that is rich
and beautiful here below, has been called
in to aid our conceptions of the heavenly
felicity. But nothing here below can give
us an adequate idea of it ; for every enjoy-
ment here below, besides being empty and
unsatisfying, is also fleeting and transient.
The flowery scene flourishes but to fade :
all terrestrial glory shines but to disappear.
But the joys of paradise are not only un-
alloyed, but without decay, and without
end. Its ransomed inhabitants are no longer
subject to death. The fountain of life to
which they are admitted is pure and abund-
ant for ever. The robes of honour with
which the spirits of paradise are invested,

332 The Glory of the Righteous^ S^c.

are incorruptible and immortal. No moth
shall corrode their texture, no length of
years shall sully their splendour. The light
of day may be extinguished, and the eyer-
lasting lamps of heaven sink into obscuri-
ty ; but constant and perpetual is the
brightness of their glory : inextinguishable
and unfading is the lustre of their crown.
All heaven shall resound with their songs
of triumph, and all eternity echo to their
acclamations of praise. — ^This perpetual
duration of the felicity of the saints in
heaven we believe, not only from its being
the uniform language of Scripture, but
likewise from its being consonant to the
dictates of reason ; for if we allow that
our future happiness will be complete, it
necessarily follows that it must be eternal.
Were it not eternal, were it ever to have a
period, we could not call it complete ; be-
cause, according as the period at which it
was to terminate was more or less distant,
it would be proportionally diminished. The
painful idea of its termination would, with
increasing force, be always recurring to
the mind.

Besides, to suppose that our future

The Glory of the RighteouSj ^c. 333

jiappiness will ever come to an end, is
inconsistent with all our notions of the
nature and perfections of God : For, what
prompted God to create the human race^
was certainly to impart to them all that
happiness of which their nature is capable.
And to accomplish this benevolent pur*«
pose ; to exercise our virtue, and thus pre-
pare us for our intended happiness, wa&
doubtless his view in placing us iii the
present state of probation and discipline.
Now, when this benevolent purpose shall
be accomplished, when the perfection and
happiness of our nature shall be obtained,
is it possible to conceive that this perfec-
tion and this happiness shall ever have an
^nd? Can it be conceived after all this,
that our Almighty Parent will ever reduce
us to our original nothing, or ever place ua
in any other station inferior in dignity
and felicity ? By ascribing such conduct
to the Deity, we should be representing
him rather as a malevolent spirit, than as
the Friend and Father of his creatures.
When all the servants of Christ shall com-
pose one vast assembly, and be united to-
gether in the sacred bonds of love and har-
mony ; when their minds shall be enrich-

334 The Glory of the Righteous, S,

ed with the treasures of wisdom , and
ed with all the beauties of holines
must necessarily be the objects of i
vine favour. Now, is it possible
ceive that God will ever destroy the
or even diminish the happiness o
who are the objects of his peculiar i
The Scriptures mention multitudes
alted spirits who have retained thei
cence and purity, who encircle the
of God, and enjoy high and uninc
ed felicity. But can it be imagint
the Deity will ever destroy or degra
being of any of those ;_ destroy
grade them, though guilty of oo
but who have, on the contrary, i
similar to his own, and who f<
highest delight in obeying his wi
fulfilling his pleasure ? And may ^
reason in the same manner with res
the spirits of just men, who shall \
sented before the throne without sf
without blemish ? Yes, their existent
never terminate, their nature, une
to the power of accident, and unim
by the revolution of years, shall fl
in immortal youth, felicity, and hoi

The Glory of the Uighteous, SfC. 335

•

But our glory in a future world will
be, not only everlastings but for ever en^
iarging.^— In what will this glory chiefly
consist? Certainly, as has been already
shewn, in the superior improvement of the
intellectual, the moral, and social capaci-
ties. Now, if we believe that this great
source of happiness will continually increase,
we must, of consequence, believe that the
streams of happiness, flowing from it, will
continually increase likewise. And that
this great source of human happiness shall
for ever continue to increase;— -that the soul
shall, through all eternity, be receiving
fresh improvements, is a doctrine which
must approve itself to every enlightened
mind. Heaven is, indeed, always repre-
sented as a state oi perfection^ and the saints,
even immediately upon their leaving this
world, are said to be rci2idt perfect. And
such a state, when compared with the pre-
sent, may, with the greatest propriety, be
denominated perfect ; but not surely, in
such a sense, as to preclude all further im-
provement. Angels, we know, are said
to be perfect ; but among these perfect be-
ings, we believe there are some higher and
others lower ; but will any one venture t#

336 The Glory of the RighteouSySpe.

affirm that the Ijatter are incapable of aspir-
ing after the attainments of the former, or
of making any further progress in that ex-
cellence which is suited to their nature?
Indeed, nothing appears more absurd than
to suppose that any i^te being should, at
any given period of his existence, be ca-
pable of arriving at a degree of excellence
so transcendent^ as to render all further
improvements impossible. How then can
we imagine that the human mind will, at
any given period of its existence, be as
perfect as it shall ever be through an eter-
nal age ? May we not rather indulge the
pleasing prospect that the soul shall have
no boundary set to its progress ; but that it
shall continue for ever to advance in grace
and glory? Separated from earth, and trans-
planted into a friendlier clime, we conceive,
that whether considered as to its intel-
lectual, its moral, or its social nature, it
will grow and flourish through all eternity.
And indeed when we reflect upon the pro-
gressive nature of man, and the • immense
field of improvement which lies before
him, how can we conceive it to be other-
wise ? For, from experience, we learn that
the human mind can never know 80 much

The Ghry of the 'Righteous^ ^c. 337

t>f the wonders of the Almighty as to be
incapable of knowing more. Even now
it possesses a capacity of improvement and
progression without end. Its faculties arc
never fully blown, but are always capable
of further enlargement. Every day we
have it in our power to approach nearer
and nearer to the perfection of our nature :
to the latest period of our lives, if the
mental faculties remain, we can be increas-
ing in strength, and adding to the stores of
our knowledge ; nor do we ever find that
the greatest stores of knowledge have the
least tendency to oppress the mind or to
weaken its powers. On the» contrary , the
Capacity always enlarges with the acquisi-
tion ; and the more we have learned, the
more we are disposed to learn : the less is
our labour and the easier bur progress.
Now, if in heaven, too, we continue to re-
tain the same capacity of endless improve-
ment ; if in that perfect state of our exist-
ence, our knowledge of the Divine works
and perfections shall be for ever increasing
(and from our present experience we may
presume that it will), must not our love
and admiration be for ever increasing also?
and proportional to our love and admira-

338 The Glory of the Right eous, ^c.

tion of God must be oiir assimiladon to
his nature and our delight in his service.
In the same manner, may we reason con-
cerning that pure and disinterested mu-
tual benevolence which shall for ever ce-
ment together the inhabitants of heaven
in blessed union. The more perfect our
nature, the more perfect shall be our cha-
rity and love. The more we love God, the
more ardent shall be our love towards
our brethren. If the one heavenly afiec-
tion increase, the other must increase in.
proportion. And if these affections grow
at all in a more perfect state, why may
they not groii^r, to all eternity, in that state ?
For who can set boimds to those capacious
powers, whether intellectual or moral, which
lie folded up in man ? Who can presume
to say to what degree of perfection the
eternal growth of nature may expand the
blooming soul ? Perhaps the period is mark*
ed out when it shall be beautified with all
that excellence in which the most glorified
spirits now appear. The time may come
when it shall be crowned with their un^
fading honours, and adorned with all their
divine and heavenly perfections.— What a
sublime, what a ravishing prospect, does

The Glory of the Itighteomy ^c. 339

this open to our view ! Let us think of be-
ing, one day, what the brightest archangels
now are : let us think of the happiness of
possessing their holiness, and brightening
with their glory ; and then let us say, if a
more joyful, if a more triumphant thought
can enter into the heart of man ! It con-
tains something so transcendent and in-
effable, as must be for ever sufficient to
satisfy the most unbounded ambition of
an immortal mind.

Perhaps some doubting spirits may con-
sider this as a doctrine difficult to be be-
lieved. To some it may appear more than
improbable, that creatures sunk and de-
pressed, as we now are, should thus shake
off all their infirmities, and at once rise
to a state of endless perfection and happi-
ness. To such I would observe, that though
this may seem to be beyond the discovery
of unassisted reason, yet being clearly pro-
mised in a well-attested revelation, it ought
certainly to obtain our belief. — And in-
deed there is nothing in the thing itself
which can tend to render it in the least im*
probable. For what can be more agreeablfe
to our conceptions of God, than that the

Y 2

The Glory of the Righteous^ SfC. 341

perfection hereafter. And when the bless-
ed Jesus is our friend, we need not doubt
that He will raise us to all that felicity
and honour of which our nature is capable.
When He has become our Advocate ; when
he has undertaken to plead our cause^ we
may firmly trust that he will accomplish
our salvation ; that he will at last complete-
ly deliver us from this body of sin and
death, and bless us with the everlasting
possession of all the glorious privileges and
enjoyments of the sons of God.

I SHALL now conclude with a few reflec-
tions, naturally suggested by this sublime
and delightful subject.

The prospect of the celestial state, for
which we are des^ned^ should, doubtless,
fi!ll us with the most ardent gratitude to
God, and to Jesus Christ : to God, who
originally prepared the mansions of glory
for us, and to Jesus Christ, who has pro-
cured access to them, even after it had been
justly forfeited by our sins. If we feel
grateful to our fellow-creatures for their
unexpected and unmerited beneficence, how
should our hearts glow with gratitude to

S42 The Glory of the RighteauSf ^c.

God who hath loved us ever since we had
a being ; who created us only to make us
happy, and to bless us with a glorious im-
mortality ! And what should be our feel*
ings to Jesus Christ, who, when by our re-
bellion we had exposed ourselves to ruin,,
suficred and died, to absolve us from our
guilt, and to raise us to a greater than
even our original happiness, — to a happi-
ness unspeakable y inconceivable, eternal. —

* Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to

* receive power, and riches, and wisdom,

* and strength, and honour, and glory, and

* blessing.' — * My soul ! magnify the Lord,

* and rejoice in God thy Saviour.'

From the gladsome prospect of eternal
happiness, we should also learn to derive
support an d com fors,.,^nidst all thejricigsi-

i tudes and trials of the present life Here^

\ tlie righteous are often left to struggle with
adversity, while the wicked bask in the
sunshine of prosperity, and flourish like
the green bay tree. The pious and the
pure pine in want, while the vicious and
the profligate riot in excess. While sober
virtue is doomed to be the victim of op-
pression and the prey of sorrow, lawless

The Glory of the Righteous^ ^c. 343

vice often lifts her proud head, and reigns
triumphant, — ^But we ought not therefore
to imagine that the poor despised, afflicted
Christian, is disregarded by God, or that
his labour of love is forgotten * Can a

* woman forgQt her sucking child ? — Can
^ she cease to .have compassion on the son

* ofherwo^ab?' — ^Yes,shemay: but God
will never forget, never forsake his children.
And, if at present, the righteous receive not
their adequate reward, it is because the sea-
son of full recompeuce is not yet come. But
come it certainly will, and then shall be re-
stored perfect order among the works of God:
righteousness shall be exalted, liberty shall
be given to the captive, joy to the mourn-
er, and a just retribution to all. * The

* righteous shall then shine forth like the

* sun in the kingdom of their Father/ —
How well may such a prospect reconcile
the soul to poverty, and reproach, and suf-
fering, and death ? — * I reckon,' saith an
Apostle, * that the sufferings of the pre-

* sent time,' (of this passing moment), * are
' not worthy to be compared with the

* glory that shall be revealed.' — Let us
think of this, and never be weary nor faint
in our mind. Let not our hearts be troubled ,

The Glory of the RighfeouSj ^c. 345

the presence of God. All those who wil-
fully and habitually transgress the laws of
religion and morality, must be excluded
from the blessed mansions of immortality.

* Verily, verily, I say unto you,* (are the
words of Jesus),* except a man be born again,

* he cannot see the kingdom of God.'*
—Since then such is the inseparable con-
nection between holiness here and happiness
hereafter ; since the practice of goodness
on earth is so absolutely requisite for the
enjoyment of heaven, we should be sedu-
lous indeed in preparing for that glorious
place Shall we there be divested of our ani-
mal nature, and enjoy those pleasures only
which are pure and spiritual ? Let us then
now learn to rise above the objects of time
and sense, and give all diligence to cultivate
our rational and immortal souls. Is heaven
an inheritance undefiled, and which admits
of nothing sinful and impure ? — Then let
us be anxious to correct every evil habit ;
to subdue every corruption, and to perfect
holiness in the fear of the Lord, Is it a
state where love for ever reigns : where
charity never faileth ? Let us now learn

* John iii, 3.

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